chrisharries

Like almost everyone else I have spoken to, I have been glued to the Olympic coverage ever since the thrilling opening ceremony on 27th July. In amongst all the successes that the GB team are experiencing, the debate around the legacy of London 2012, and whether the games are good value for money has began.

From an outsiders point of view I have to say that I have been mightily impressed by the smooth running of the games, especially following the high profile failure of G4S to fulfil their security contract in full. This view has been backed up by friends who have been lucky enough to secure tickets to some of the events and have all, without exception, had extremely positive experiences.

So, at the around the mid-point of the Olympics we can say that the games are a success. But what does it take to ensure that everything happens when it should and as it should?

I was fortunate enough to speak with a contact who is part of the vast Olympic Purchasing & Supply Chain team and has seen what goes on behind the scenes. He was overwhelmed by the scale of the operation and the immense amount of effort that LOCOG have put in, which has ultimately led to London being able to put on a show that it can be proud of. Absolutely everything has been done to ensure that best materials, facilities and staff have been provided on time. In doing so the cost has naturally risen and is widely reported to be significantly above the original budget. This has naturally attracted criticism whilst we are in recession, but I feel that the cost can be justified as the world will remember a fantastic feat of organisation. It is important that London avoids putting on a bad show as bad reputations are difficult to shake. However, the quality of the organisation and the historic performances are giving London something invaluable – an extremely good reputation. So based on that I say yes, the games are worth the expense.

The true value of the games will only really become apparent in the years to come as the facilities will hopefully become an integral part of the east end community. Hopefully there will be a generation inspired by the feats of Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Bradley Wiggins and all the other GB stars.