# 7 Olympics 2012 - bad for business????

Being the miserable old cynic that I am, I am not jumping for joy over the Olympics coming to our blighted Isle. So when I read articles like this, I get narked. The least we could have hoped for was that it would be good for local business and my misery would be unjustified.

Source: sports_guy.com

The knock on effect for theatre employees could be catastrophic. It isn't after all just a show or two closing, it's actors out of work, theatre staff without jobs, ticket agencies with less trade - the list of chain reactions is endless. I don't know how many of these people will get pay freezes during the Olympics (after all no show no pay) but even if they don't the money has to come from somewhere and if tickets aren't being sold where is it coming from?

And whilst you might be thinking it won't get THAT bad, tickets sales are only 10% of their normal rate for this time of year - that's something to worry about.

I thought London was going to benefit from the additional trade, but if sections of it (the bits tourists usually go to) are going to shut down then I'm aggrieved. It's like holidaying in Venice at height of season. As soon as the tourists arrive, the locals move out - for the whole summer. I'm not joking, where do you think all those apartments come from? Let's face it, no one likes a tourist, except the economy.

Cameron's 'New Year Message' did nothing to appease. It's full of the usual twaddle about hanging in there and 'something to look forward to'. Clutching at the straws of the 2012 Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee isn't going to get you out of this mess matey. And though the Royal Wedding in 2011 boosted moral, let's be honest we're still in huge financial doo-doos.

So who is planning to move out of London during the Olympics? Are you going to rent your home or parking space to the visiting masses? Who is hoping for an upturn in business? And who is planning to close down until it's all over. I'd be interested to know what your plans are to avoid or reap the rewards.