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London Olympic organisers could renege on promises to offer tickets for just £15.
The organising committee is considering a more expensive starting price in a bid to increase revenue - a decision which will disappoint many Londoners who will be priced out.
A pledge to charge £15 a seat, with more than half the nine million places selling for less than £30, was made by committee chairman Sebastian Coe when the capital's bid for the Games was launched in 2004.
But three years before the Games, Paul Deighton, the chief executive of the London Organising Committee, admitted it may not be possible to honour that commitment. He said he hoped cheap tickets would still be available but could not say how many or for what price.
"The principle still applies that a very significant chunk of our tickets will be highly affordable so we can get families here," he said.
Reader views (7)
LONDONERS SHOULD NOT BE PAYING A PENNY TO SEE THE GAME, AFTER THE GOVERNMENT HAVE SCREWED THE OLYMPIC TAX FROM OUR PURSES.
If however they do raise the price of tickets
LONDONERS SHOULD BOYCOTT THE GAMES.
WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY, IT MAKES ME WEEP.
MR ( I HATE ALL SPORTS EXCEPT CRICKET) PASTRY
- Mr Pastry, london, 17/08/2009 09:24
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I'm not paying anything for my ticket, as a Londoner I have paid for it and will demand free access as most of it is public property.
- Bob, Cheam, 28/07/2009 17:49
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Raising the prices might not increase the revenue. It may instead lead to rows of empty seats.
- Alan In Bow, London, 28/07/2009 17:31
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The organisers are as dishonest, deceiptful, amoral and repugnant as our MPs. They will have to charge exhorbitant fees for tickets to make up for 100 MILLION of tax payers' money which has allegedly "gone missing " from the fund. I have nothing but contempt for all of them.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 28/07/2009 16:56
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Has this Government ever said anything that you could trust? Even Harold Wilson wasn't this bad.
- Mark, London, 28/07/2009 16:56
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So londoners have paid for the olympics once through increased council tax, and now we don't even get a discounted ticket? sounds about right, but then I can't say I am too bothered as it will likely be completely rubbish.
- Mike Oxard, london, 28/07/2009 16:18
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Yet another example of this goverment's financial ineptitude, it was obvious from the start, with the people involved in the bid that the wheels would fall off this project. Wait for more u turns, missed financial targets and failed post-olympic uses of the facilities. They already have the use of tax payer's money now they want more via entrance fees!
- Paul, Hereford, 28/07/2009 14:43
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