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While a cultural achievement for the capital, the Olympics are set to cost the country a fortune. The bill is now topping £12bn with the security costs alone coming to £553m – double the original estimate. It's hard to put a price tag on the cultural legacy the Games will leave the country, but cynics could argue it's unlikely to equal the £12bn bill.

The sheer volume of visitors will also hugely impact on the city. O2 recently trialled allowing a quarter of their 12,000-strong workforce to work outside of the office, readying for the impact of the Games on the city's already congested transport system.