Vodaphone - taking the P in Olympic torch relay?, 8 out of 15 runners are from Vodafone - surely some Options

[Sherlock]

According to a posting at the other Newbury forum, 8 of the 15 runners carrying the torch in Newbury are from Vodafone.

Seems very unreasonable to me that Vodafone should be so over represented when so many other businesses and local organisations don't get a look in. Anyone know what's going on? Have the Vodadrones bought their domination of the relay?

I hope Vodafone will also be providing plenty of stewards as I'm told desperate appeals have been going out to WBC staff for volunteers to line the route.

[On the edge]

Great to see the good old British trait of kicking s*** out of anything or anyone who is successful!

[Simon Kirby]

I'm supporting my friends who are running a couple of stages of the Endurance Life Real Relay. It follows the same route around the country but it's being run continuously day and night without a break (the official event only runs through the day and the torch is driven from stage to stage). It's being organised for free by Endurance Life and you're asked to contribute something to the charity collection if you run a stage.

[Rowley Birkin]

wonder what percentage of the population of newbury vodafone employ?

[Sherlock]

Great to see the good old British trait of kicking s*** out of anything or anyone who is successful!

Brainless. You think that was kicking ****? Utterly brainless.

[x2lls]

Brainless. You think that was kicking ****? Utterly brainless.

It certainly reads that way.
Vodadrones, over represented, domination etc etc.

Possibly 'bought' means 'sponsored'?

As an aside, my other half works for Tesco, and they also have a lot of runners.

[On the edge]

Brainless. You think that was kicking ****? Utterly brainless.

What was it then, you choose; rude, arrogant, ill judged, inappropriate, unnecessary?

[On the edge]

It was, apparently, very easy and straightforward to make an application. Even after the thing had been set up, a colleague of mine said her partner wanted to be involved. He called WBC who could not have been more helpful and the people doing the organising have been very friendly. Of course one of our largest employers has a large representation; simple arithmetic provides the answer there.

No, I have no involvement with Vodafone, not even a phone contract. Nevertheless, they are one of the few UK firms with a World reach, as well as being commercially successful, in a trade that is useful and wholly legal. They operate out of our town and deserve some respect.

[Strafin]

Tax dodging scumbags.

[Strafin]

Planning Permission dodgers too!

[On the edge]

Hope you can justify those comments because if you levelled them at some American firms you'd find yourself in court pretty promptly. Nevertheless, a commercially success free nation state is what many of us seem to want. The Olympics is no more free of commercial sponsorship than football, never was. Pity of it these days is that UK doesn't get a slice - who is doing the catering - why McDonalds. Who did the last UK one? The worlds then biggest British Joe Lyons. Anyway, lets enjoy this one whilst we can - because with our present national attitude, we are likely to be the new Greece for the next one, so there won't be another.

[blackdog]

I just think it is hardly in the Olympic spirit to sell places on the torch relay - I thought the 'runners' would be those who deserved it through contributions to the community rather than contributions to the Olympics coffers.

I also realise it is hopeless to wish that rampant commercialism did not dominate events like this.

[Strafin]

Just to be clear, I have no prblem with success. Innovative companies and individuals are what keep Britain competitive and I include Vodafone in that category. What I don't like is the pretence that all big companies contribute and offer back to the community. Business is business, and Vodafone are quite serious offenders when it comes to taking from the community. They do sponsor quite a lot, and should be credited for that, but it is all just money off their tax bill at the end of day.

[Jayjay]

According to a posting at the other Newbury forum, 8 of the 15 runners carrying the torch in Newbury are from Vodafone.

Seems very unreasonable to me that Vodafone should be so over represented when so many other businesses and local organisations don't get a look in. Anyone know what's going on? Have the Vodadrones bought their domination of the relay?

I hope Vodafone will also be providing plenty of stewards as I'm told desperate appeals have been going out to WBC staff for volunteers to line the route.

Not as bad as Next and Intersport bosses who carried the torch bumping hurdler James Taylor out.

[Strafin]

Hope you can justify those comments because if you levelled them at some American firms you'd find yourself in court pretty promptly. Nevertheless, a commercially success free nation state is what many of us seem to want. The Olympics is no more free of commercial sponsorship than football, never was. Pity of it these days is that UK doesn't get a slice - who is doing the catering - why McDonalds. Who did the last UK one? The worlds then biggest British Joe Lyons. Anyway, lets enjoy this one whilst we can - because with our present national attitude, we are likely to be the new Greece for the next one, so there won't be another.

Quite obviously they built their HQ on land where nobody else was allowed to build. They paid NO corporation tax last year which was well publicised, here's one link but there are plenty more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbys...rio-Colao.html#

[NWNREADER]

Quite obviously they built their HQ on land where nobody else was allowed to build. They paid NO corporation tax last year which was well publicised, here's one link but there are plenty more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbys...rio-Colao.html#

They didn't dodge PP, though...... As with so many development proposals they made a case that could not be refused.

[x2lls]

Hope you can justify those comments because if you levelled them at some American firms you'd find yourself in court pretty promptly. Nevertheless, a commercially success free nation state is what many of us seem to want. The Olympics is no more free of commercial sponsorship than football, never was. Pity of it these days is that UK doesn't get a slice - who is doing the catering - why McDonalds. Who did the last UK one? The worlds then biggest British Joe Lyons. Anyway, lets enjoy this one whilst we can - because with our present national attitude, we are likely to be the new Greece for the next one, so there won't be another.

You are seriously mistaken.
3663 has the wholesale contract to supply the Olympic village suppliers.
Orders by 23:00 to be delivered for 07:00 the following day.

[On the edge]

You are seriously mistaken.
3663 has the wholesale contract to supply the Olympic village suppliers.
Orders by 23:00 to be delivered for 07:00 the following day.

Sorry, didn't make what I was trying to say clear. You are absolutley right about today's wholesale contract. Shame we (UK plc) can't do the retail bit as well as we used to - we used to claim we had the World's biggest. The key point is that we have very few BRITISH firms of any decription operating at world level, or indeed able to showcase at such an event.

[On the edge]

Quite obviously they built their HQ on land where nobody else was allowed to build. They paid NO corporation tax last year which was well publicised, here's one link but there are plenty more.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbys...rio-Colao.html#

They went through the same planning process as any other applicant. It was up to the Councillors - they had the opportunity to refuse it; they didn't. If they had, it would have been referred to HMG and potentially embarrased John Prescott I seem to recall.

As for tax, HM Revenue and Customs have been through the books and have taken no action. If they were acting improperly, they would have done so, would they not?

Don't blame Vodafone, blame the people we elect to look after these things. Building on land no one else was allowed to isn't only a private sector habit - hospitals and technical colleges come to mind.

[Strafin]

They went through the same planning process as any other applicant. It was up to the Councillors - they had the opportunity to refuse it; they didn't. If they had, it would have been referred to HMG and potentially embarrased John Prescott I seem to recall.

As for tax, HM Revenue and Customs have been through the books and have taken no action. If they were acting improperly, they would have done so, would they not?

Don't blame Vodafone, blame the people we elect to look after these things. Building on land no one else was allowed to isn't only a private sector habit - hospitals and technical colleges come to mind.

I blame both.