Big, blue fence seals feelings of ill will about Olympic village

London

Not a week goes by without some Olympic naysaying: about the overspends, knock-on effects, dwindling public support, embittered groups, claims of ill will and broken promises.

No wonder public support for the Games has sunk. What should have been a boost to London pride is now a drain. In a recent poll, nearly two-thirds of respondents said the Games were not worth the money. About 44 per cent wanted the GBP9 billion (HK$143 billion) budget spent on schools or hospitals.

Last week The Guardian reported on the new 3.7-metre plywood fence, which sprung up 17km around the site, all coloured in a distinctly deep Ikea blue.

Like the Berlin Wall or the West Bank barrier, the paper said the fence was 'the most obvious manifestation so far of a new city-within-a-city', cordoned off and patrolled to keep people out.

In reality, a walk around the fence does not quite engender such drama. Firstly, there has never been much call to walk around the lower Lea Valley. The area was covered by derelict land, allotments, cheap artist studios, industrial sites and camps for gypsies. It was home to a fridge mountain and a huge fat recycling plant, ill-kept waterways and largely contaminated land. In essence, a wasteland in a crowded city. Secondly, London is awash with building sites and this site hoarding seems like any other, albeit longer.