Do We Really Need Two Separate 'heroes' Victory Celebrations?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3749624/A-parade-fit-Britain-s-Olympic-heroes-PM-orders-victory-celebration-despite-financial-concerns-turf-wars.html

Hasn't enough money been thrown at this two week event already?

£347m of lottery money has been spent on the event and they say that each medal that has been won cost £5.5m of public spending.

Most of these minority interest events create attention for only 2 weeks every 4 years how many of us rush out every week to watch little pole vaulting for example?

[bednobs]

yes

[wolf63]

AOG >> to watch little pole vaulting

[jackthehat]

No.
Let's just have one....in Manchester.

[wolf63]

I don't think that two events is unacceptable. Many people will want to see the winners (can't see the point myself) and with two events more people get the chance.

[mushroom25]

i don't get - and the article didn't explain - why "turf wars" should be an issue in this matter. i mean, what interest has moss side scumbag got in the olympics?

[Prudie]

Well seems only fair to not have it just for those who can get to London. I'm not particularly sport orientated but I find the GB performance totally uplifting and a real boost towards regaining some sense of national pride. it's exactly the kind of thing lottery money should be spent on.

[Islay]

Your response to this good news story surprises me AOG! Where is your national pride, your pride in Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

[jambutty]

Yes, I think it only fair that the north gets a bite of the cherry. Too many things happen only in London, so this makes a nice change. I won't be going though, not a sports fan !

[Togo]

We don't need a London parade. Manchester should have the privilege, after the prevarication by the Mayor of London. Boris would have jumped at the chance, were he still in office. Now that Khan has been shamed into getting on side he should be told to swivel, your too late mate.

[anotheoldgit]

Prudie

/// national pride. it's exactly the kind of thing lottery money should be spent on. ///

I can think of a million of things this lottery money could be better spent on rather than 'National Pride'.

And that is coming from a avid patriot.

[ummmm]

Like what?

[Gromit]

The Government have been caught out a little on this. There was NO celebration planned (perhaps they didn't expect Team GB to do so well).

Manchester City Council along with the Sports Council and British Cycling built the National Velodrome in Manchester, and that resulted in much of the medal success. Many of the Team GB use the Sports City facilities and are based in Manchester. So Manchester is the right venue.

Manchester City Council were going to do this anyway. They have been keen to do it and presumably they will absorb the cost locally, rather than the tax payer.

The idea of a London parade is an after thought by the Government eager to steal some of the glory.

[mikey4444]

AOG...don't be such an old curmudgeon !

These people have given us a bloody marvelous 3 weeks and the few pounds that it will cost to give them a proper welcome is well worth it.

[Eve]

I think it's great, their dedication to their sport far outweighs the period of the Olympics and they are great role models.

We have parades here for football, St George's Day, Chinese New Year, St Patrick's Day, Pride, Manchester Day, Caribbean Carnival, all sorts so why not one for the Olympians. We had an Olympic parade here after the last Olympics.

[Islay]

Bet you he doesn't Jim!!

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

/// Your response to this good news story surprises me AOG! Where is your national pride, your pride in Great Britain and Northern Ireland? ///

Some seem to have hypocritical feelings, national pride can attract accusations of nationalistic feelings even racism.

One can have pride in one's country but that doesn't mean throwing huge sums of money in pursuant of that pride, especially when that money could be spent on more urgent needs.

[Islay]

It was lottery money though it does not come out of the taxes. Now if this was another country like America the teams would be entirely public funded!

[hc4361]

It is the government's job to fund 'urgent needs'. Lottery money should not be used for services the government should be paying for.

[jim360]

Oh come on, really?!

I actually agree with you AOG that you don't need to gush over the Olympics to be patriotic, and that objectively it's a complete waste of money. It's just that ... I don't really care. It's brilliant to watch, it's fun, it's wonderful sometimes to stop caring about anything over than how fast someone can ride a bike, or run, or row a boat, or how often they can kick someone in the head. Sometimes, I think it's worth wasting a bit of money on fun.