Olympic tickets can now be applied for.

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/5tb9bvc

Should the British taxpayer get a discount on the price of their tickets?

Incidentally, Is it a coincidence that the price of the top seat at the London Olympics (£2012) is also the same figure as the year the Games take place (2012)?

[woofgang]

Personally I would pay not to have to go.......and am going to stay well clear of London

[bednobs]

to apply a discount, it would have to be subsidized from somewhere - taxpayers perhaps???

[crisgal]

i would love to go but i'm not sure this ballot thing is going to be fair. I bet anyone connected to the committee etc, will get picked out of the hat!

[Davethedog]

Unfortunatly I live in London, I live in Greenwich they reckon that well get discounted tickets for the horsey things? I don't think they know the people of Greenwich very well, Destroy our Park for 30 pieces of silver.

I won't be going.

[crisgal]

fancy a house swap in sunny blackpool? lol

[Davethedog]

Steve5 we never wanted it and we wil be paying council tax until our children retire to pay for it. I think if you ask the majority of Londoners they are apathetic at best.

[ChuckFickens]

"The south wanted it then let the south have it & pay for it."

Errr, I've never said I wanted it.

[grasscarp]

I heard on the radio that you can only pay with a Visa card - as this is part of the sponsorship deal. You can apply for a prepay visa if you dont have a visa credit or debit card. Wowee. I think this will put some people off from getting tickets. Me for one.

[Kathyan]

I can't wait for the Olympic games..........to be over!

[Booldawg]

The only good thing about the Olympics for us is it helped push through the buildin of the Hindhead tunnel on the A3. It'll be opening in June and is longest road tunnel in Europe.

[The-HouseHusband]

I think I will stick with the best seat in the house, or should I really say my armchair in front of the telly.

No outlay for tickets, easy and quick transfer between venues at the touch of a button, no accommodation fees and a cup of tea when ever I please that is not stone cold and overpriced.

[anotheoldgit]

bednobs

/// to apply a discount, it would have to be subsidized from somewhere - taxpayers perhaps??? ///

It already is, especially the Londoners who pay as well through their Council Tax, so all British taxpayers, especially the Londoners should automatically enjoy a discount.

If any extra money is needed to enable this, then just charge the foreigners more for their tickets.

[anotheoldgit]

Well it would seem from most ABers that we should have perhaps had a referendum on whether or not to bid for the Olympics in London.

I wish the French had made a successful bid, then all those that were interested could have nipped over the channel and leave the rest of us in peace.

[Zeuhl]

To answer the easier of Old Git's questions;

the £2012 price isn't coincidence it's a marketing gimmick.

Presumably the business plan is for the Games to make a profit as recent Games have done.

If they are successful, the country makes some money, adds to our national prestige and provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend.

The 'discount' we enjoy is that we can attend without having to travel far to see them.

We'll be going and we're not too fussed which events we get tickets for. Just attending the Olympic Park will be an amazing experience. How sad to look back in future years without a direct personal experience when it was on our doorstep.
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[barney15c]

They will need to build a new zoo to house all the white elephants that will be left over after the games have finished (ie o2 dome). Thank christ we didnt win the 2018 WC bid so we wont have to bid for any of these events for the next 30 odd year hence.

[dave1948]

i applied for tickets for footbaal OAP price £16.00

I was amazed to be asked for another £6 admin fee. Is this a reward to Visa to process tickets which cannot cost that amount. I aborted the order.

I would like to go but will not be ripped off in that way

[Zeuhl]

<<white elephants that will be left over after the games have finished (ie o2 dome). >>

Barney?

White Elephant? O2 Dome?

Are you referring to the O2 Dome that is now the most successful music venue in the World? The one that is booked out continuously for the next 5 years? And that also manages to accommodate hundreds of other exhibitions, conferences and events?

We could do with a few more of those sort of white elephants after the Olympics thanks very much!
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[New Judge]

Companies and organisations cannot charge different prices for the same thing based on race, nationality or place of residence. It's against (here's a surprise) EU law. So residents cannot be given a discount.

As impressive as the soon-to-be-opened Hindhead tunnel is, Booldawg, at 1.14 miles it does not quite qualify as the longest road tunnell in Europe:

Laerdal Tunnel (Norway) 15.2 miles

St. Gotthard Tunnel (Switzerland) 10.5 miles

Arlberg Road Tunnel (Austria) 8.6 miles

Fréjus Road Tunnel (France-Italy) 8 miles

However, if you measure how much time it saves (I've spent many a happy hours trundling round the Devil's Punch Bowl up to the lights in the village) it could be a contender!