It was always going to be difficult to compete with the spectacle of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, yet Danny Boyle came up with a very distinctive, eccentric, and thus very British opening ceremony for the Games in London. It showed Britain as an open, multicultural society and was an apt tribute to the history of the United Kingdom. It has helped us feel good about ourselves for a while.

There was of course a very telling contribution by a Beijing digital media company called Crystal CG International. It provided the computer-generated creative imaginary that flashed around the bowl of the Olympic stadium, illustrating well the links made between Beijing and London from our recent experiences of hosting the Games.

This will undoubtedly be the biggest legacy of the London 2012 Olympics for us, feeling good about being Londoners and British particularly after the opening ceremony.