Only 16 people enter the Mayor's web competition

Boris Johnson's much heralded cultural festival was derided today after it emerged that hardly anyone entered a competition to win tickets.

The Story of London was a series of 520 events held throughout last month intended to celebrate the capital past, present and future. But opponents today claimed it was "all spin and no substance" after learning that only 16 people joined an online ticket contest and only 71 people made text message enquiries about the events.

Despite the Mayor and his cultural adviser Munira Mirza's assurances that the festival would be "truly pan London", with "events and activities in every borough", three boroughs failed to put on any events at all. The figures were revealed in a response to a question from Lib-Dem Assembly member Dee Doocey.

Ms Doocey said: "The Story of London was a great idea, but as with so many initiatives trailed by Boris Johnson it was not properly planned.

"The Mayor promised a month long programme in each and every London borough, but many of the events that did take place were not properly publicised, and some boroughs did not put on events at all. Like so much that comes from the Mayor's office it was all spin and no substance."

Mr Johnson said market research to evaluate the Story of London "is being gathered, tabulated and analysed".