Twice as many Britons now think the Olympics were a good idea for them compared to before the games took place - and a majority is persuaded that the legacy has been positive
One year ago today the Olympic opening ceremony was held in Stratford, London. YouGov research at the time found that 89% of British adults felt positively about the ceremony, and 68% said it made them ‘proud to be British.’ But how are the Games perceived a year on? New YouGov research finds that compared to before the Games significantly more think the Olympics were good for them, and majorities say they were good for the nation too.
Today, 45% of British adults say the Olympics ‘were good for people like me.’ In July 2011, before the Olympics begun, only 17% thought they would be. The number who say the Games were good for them has gone down slightly since immediately after they were held, in August 2012, however this is only by 5% over the course of a whole year.
The London Olympics cost £9 billion, but a majority of Britons(58%) now say the Games had a positive impact on the economy. Only 19% said they had no impact, and 9% said they had a negative impact.
And despite taking place during one of Britain’s harshest economic recessions, a huge majority (79%) of the public say the Games had a largely or slightly positive impact on ‘the overall mood of the general public in Britain.’ Only 12% say it had no effect on the mood, and almost no one (2%) say the effect was negative.
Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Usain Bolt return to Stratford’s Olympic Park this weekend to compete in the "anniversary games," aiming to revive some of the enthusiasm of London 2012. A recent government report claims Britain has made £9.9 billion in trade and investment in the Games, meaning the profits have outweighed the costs.
