In July of this year an unnamed representative of Bristol City Council held yet another unannounced, closed doors meeting with YTL. Making this the fourth time this has occurred.

The latest revelations come an from a FOI by Fejaia Handy the Legal Counsel for SMG Europe. The company behind the original city center arena bid.

One of the questions from the request from all the way back in late August reads:

‘1. Please confirm whether any meetings were held between NEC and any Officers, Councillors, the Mayor, other staff or consultants of

Bristol City Council in the last 18 months. If so, please confirm:

1. Who they met, when, and where;

2. Whether any costs associated with those meetings were paid

for by NEC or the Council or any other third party, and the

amount of each cost or expense;

3. Whether any third parties attended those meetings (including

for example, representatives of Legal and General and/or YTL

and/or the University of Bristol).

On the 6th July Richard Marsh met with the NEC’s Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director for Arenas and The Ticket Factory and Director, NEC Group Venue Partnerships at the Gainsborough Hotel in Bath. Representatives of YTL were also present’

The Gainsborough Bath Spa owned by YTL Hotels

Richard Marsh is the ‘Programme Director’ at Bristol’s ‘Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone’ according to their website: ‘Richard joined the team in 2017 and brings experience of leading significant regeneration projects within other local government organisations and of commercial development within the private sector.’

His knowledge would have been of great value to YTL. The company who are behind the bid to build the arena in Filton.

I’ve filed a freedom of information request of my own to see what minutes (if any) where taken at the meeting.

The meeting follows on from the China to Malaysia trip in December 2017, as well as one dinner in March and one working lunch last July.