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LONDON: As preparations to host the upcoming Olympics in London continue at full speed, residents in surrounding neighborhoods have expressed concern over regeneration projects in the area that have affected small businesses, and raised questions about the high costs in public funding needed to mount the games.
The cogs on the Olympic PR machine have been hard at work to sell the long-term benefits of hosting the biggest sporting event of the year.
Residents in Olympic park neighborhoods are getting new transport links and shiny shopping centers, as part of East London's big face-lift.
But hard times hitting poor East-end neighborhoods have made it hard for local people to understand why 9 billion pounds (US$13 billion) of public money is being spent on the games.
Glyn Robbins, local activist, said: "We're increasingly hearing about the amount of public money being spent for this, and as someone who's lived in the area all my life, and intends to carry on living here, I suppose I would like to feel more sure than I do that all of that public money, investment, energy, effort and creativity - in what is behind you - is going to genuinely benefit local people."
The immediate upheaval is already visible - bus routes are being diverted, and car parks are set to shut on security grounds, affecting not only residents, but local businesses.
The brand new Westfield mega-mall has also absorbed much of the consumer traffic that for generations shopped at the old Stratford shopping center next door.
Asgar Ali, manager/owner, Stratford Pharmacy, said: "Westfield definitely hasn't helped us. I think the regeneration of the area has caused a lot of problems for us as well. If you look in the mall, I think you will see a few units have closed down, and gone away. The ones you see that have recently opened, are on a short-term lease. They are not sure what's going to happen."
Officials said current disruption is all part of plans to the games run smoothly, and regenerate the area for the long-term.
Jonathan Edwards, chair of the Olympics Athletes Committee, said: "Every host city is going to have a certain amount of nervousness that it's going to be very difficult to live and to work in that city when games time comes around, its a huge amount of planning an effort to make sure that's the case - that both the games work for the spectators, athletes, for media, but also that London works for the people who live here and for the businesses. But it's a challenge, nobody can sit here and say oh it'll all be fine because big cities by their very nature almost work to full capacity."
Aside from everyday disruptions, its also been the visible pouring of public funds into the games that has upset local people here.
With vasts amounts of construction taking over the East side, much of the surrounding areas, that haven't received an Olympic polish, are struggling to compete. And in parts where more than half of children coming from families earning 60 per cent less than the national average, social disparities are set to become more visible, when the Olympics leave town.
- CNA/ck
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