I still remember London 2012 like it was yesterday.

Listen to this article

From the jubilant opening ceremony – a wonderful celebration of our diversity, which also featured unforgettable cameos from Mr Bean, Daniel Craig and our beloved late Queen. To the scintillating sport - ‘Super Saturday’, Mo Farah claiming double Gold, and Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton reigning supreme in the velodrome.

The sense of national pride was palpable – not just in the stadiums, but on the Tube, in the fan zones, parks and packed pubs as punters poured out onto the street.

London 2012 was one of the greatest Games of all time. It made me proud to be a Brit and proud to be a Londoner.

But the real test of any Olympics is not just what happens during the Games itself, but what endures long after the cameras leave, fans disperse and athletes return home. That’s why I’m even prouder still that if you go to east London today, you’ll find a new, glistening world-class cultural quarter in the spot where Olympians once stood.

Eight years ago, I set out a vision to create East Bank to keep the Olympic flame burning in east London. Thanks to a £640 million investment from City Hall, that vision is now roaring to life, with East Bank fast becoming a powerhouse for innovation, creativity and learning. There you’ll find iconic institutions, such as Sadler’s Wells East and V&A East Storehouse, and campuses for UAL, UCL and the London College of Fashion.

And this Saturday, another major addition will open its doors: The V&A East Museum. Free to all, the V&A East celebrates the unique power of culture to ignite change, with its first major exhibition tracing the global impact of Black British music, featuring artefacts ranging from Stormzy’s iconic Glastonbury Union Jack vest, to Joan Armatrading’s childhood guitar and fashion worn by Sade, Little Simz and Dame Shirley Bassey.

East Bank is the single biggest investment into London’s culture in more than 175 years. But it’s not just good for culture, it's good for all of us.

Not only is it expected to attract 1.5 million visitors per year, it’s set to generate £1.5 billion for our city’s economy, pave the way for the development of hundreds of new homes and create thousands of jobs and opportunities for east Londoners.

East Bank is yet another example of how our capital, in spite of what the naysayers would have you believe, is thriving. Far from being a city in decline, London is rising, solidifying its status as the cultural capital of the world and creating growth and opportunities for generations to come.

The triumph of the Olympics was temporary, but the transformation that’s followed is timeless. I hope we can all take the same pride in East Bank as we did in London 2012, and I encourage you all to come and explore what it has to offer.

Sir Sadiq Khan is the Mayor of London.

LBC Opinion provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.

To contact us email opinion@lbc.co.uk

© LBC