Private Eye (1 Viewer)

[torchomatic]

Bought PE at lunchtime, article in about CCC:

Egg on face time for Coventry City council leader Ann Lucas. Caught out having made false

claims about the council's secretive multi-million pound taxpayer bailout of a struggling stadium company, she bravely blamed everyone els;. . Newly published accounts for the CIty s Ricoh Arena stadium (Eyes passim) recorded a £40.0.,0.0.0. loss in 20. 13-14. Yet in August 20. 13 Lucas insisted that the then half-council owned Arena Coventry Limited (ACL) was "very profita~le" - even with~ut Coventry City Football Club, which had temporanly upped sticks to play in Northampton following a litigious row over "rip-off' £ 1.3m rental charges. The day after the council privately agreed a deal last October to sell the stadium company to London rugby club Wasps with an ongoing £14m taxpayer loan - to many football and rugby fans' fury - Lucas told local BBC radio that ACL had been "washing its face". [A colloquial expression, m'lud, meaning "making a profit".] Tackled last month by the Coventry Observer about the discrepancy, she admitted that ACL had not been "washing its face" after all. And she told the BBC: "That is what I actually believed. I would never intentionally mislead anyone. Once I'd been told what I was told by the shareholders and our advisers, I take it to be correct." Councillors' principal advisers through?ut the saga were the council's finance director Chris West and chief executive Martin Reeves, who were also directors of ACL. The council's Labour leaders have repeatedly insisted they would only invest taxpayer loans in viable and sustainable companies. London Wasps Holdings Limited, now 10.0. percent owner of ACL, had reported £3.2m losses in its last accounts: In trying to persuade doubting fans about going to Coventry to save the club, Wasps wrote on ItS website: "We run a high risk of going bust." Lucas has insisted that the council had "always hoped it would be the football club" buying i~to the Ricoh Arena, but claimed the club's owner SISU - a hedge-fund and thus the incarnation of evil to Labour councillors - was only interested m a deal for the council-maintained freehold. A council document leaked last week records that Lucas had suggested "hell freezes over" before any deal would be made with Sisu.

 

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[torchomatic]

Apologies, I scanned it and OCR is a little rubbish, but you'll get the gist.

 

[The Gentleman]

For a man who blames all sides I find it rather strange that you only ever put stuff like this up backing one point of view.............

 

[torchomatic]

Actually I was just highlighting the fact that Private Eye and the Observer are in league with SISU.

Obviously, the Council are innocent and Ann is a lovely person.

For a man who blames all sides I find it rather strange that you only ever put stuff like this up backing one point of view.............

 

[shy_tall_knight]

Thanks for that even if we don't get the SISU and remain fooked as a club if we manage to ruin her political career it will be a small comfort to those as we struggle in the non-league.

Same story in a different newspaper, is RFC the journalist

 

[fernandopartridge]

For a man who blames all sides I find it rather strange that you only ever put stuff like this up backing one point of view.............

The post isn't about who is to blame though, is it? It's just highlighting what a bullshitter Saint Ann is.

 

[torchomatic]

And amusing coming from someone who mentions the phrase "one point of view".

The post isn't about who is to blame though, is it? It's just highlighting what a bullshitter Saint Ann is.

 

[Ian1779]

Didn't Private Eye run an article slating SISU once??

Pretty sure it was talked up as the bastion of good journalism that day.

 

[torchomatic]

Yes, they did. However, they made the mistake of criticizing CCC. A no-no in these parts.

Didn't Private Eye run an article slating SISU once??

Pretty sure it was talked up as the bastion of good journalism that day.

 

[John_Silletts_Nose]

Actually I was just highlighting the fact that Private Eye and the Observer are in league with SISU.

Obviously, the Council are innocent and Ann is a lovely person.

I think that the same journalist has written both copies, for the Coventry Observer and for Private Eye.

Simon should contact Private Eye and contribute an article to make some additional income, plus ensuring that Private Eye readers are aware that the CT is the main print media in the City.

 

[italiahorse]

Do PE know about the JR ?

 

[RPHunt]

I think that the same journalist has written both copies, for the Coventry Observer and for Private Eye.

Simon should contact Private Eye and contribute an article to make some additional income, plus ensuring that Private Eye readers are aware that the CT is the main print media in the City.

Last time I said a certain award winning journalist was writing the Eye articles it was deleted, so I'm surprised Nick hasn't deleted this post.

 

[Nick]

Last time I said a certain award winning journalist was writing the Eye articles it was deleted, so I'm surprised Nick hasn't deleted this post.

Have you got a link? I can take a look. I wouldn't have deleted it if it just said that.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Some inaccuracies and a repeat story but certainly some questions that need answers around how the mistake about profitability came about. I think genuie mistake personally or misunderstanding about how accounts work. As for selling when they did I don't know what would have made them do it and we should ask the questions without assuming anything untoward. I think CCc have decided ccFC is dead

 

[Chipfat]

Inquiries, inquest's, court cases, or JR what does and who does all these thing benefit the most and who is asking for them!!!!!!!!.. This is a blame game and anything and everything is being pulled out to say i told you so.. The longer this shit drags on the more time the owners are not addressing the problems the club is now facing,,,, they will never change what happened and never get the time back when they had a chance of being in the driving seat... What they do have is the club and its future to think of,, so Sisu get on with running the club, planning its future and show the fans that have faith in you that they were right..

The past cant be changed and i would be more than happy to be proved wrong that Sisu are not a basket case and are going to build a stadium, academy and are building for the future..But even writing that seem beyond what these are capable of doing as they are more intent in spin and misdirection.

 

[Moff]

I think that the same journalist has written both copies, for the Coventry Observer and for Private Eye.

Simon should contact Private Eye and contribute an article to make some additional income, plus ensuring that Private Eye readers are aware that the CT is the main print media in the City.

I think you will find the same journailist didnt write the two articles.

I take it you didnt accuse the same journalist of writing the two previous articles slating SISU?

I think Private Eye are aware that CT is the man print in the City, and I am sure they know it is a pale shadow of its former self. In the interests of balance I think the Observer is pretty shit as well.

 

[Ashdown]

This article just highlights once again to those of us who like to see all points of view that there are two sides of the story and two protagonists who are gradually sinking us into oblivion. Lucas and the council are culpable of 'spiting' the hedge fund in my opinion and consequently the football club but you cannot ever forget that they were pushed to this by the ridiculous and ongoing actions of SISU.

 

[lewys33]

Exclusive!!!

 

[John_Silletts_Nose]

I think you will find the same journailist didnt write the two articles.

Good to know.

I take it you didnt accuse the same journalist of writing the two previous articles slating SISU?

Did not see them, so, no is the answer

I think Private Eye are aware that CT is the man print in the City, and I am sure they know it is a pale shadow of its former self. In the interests of balance I think the Observer is pretty shit as well.

I referred to Private Eye readers rather than Private Eye as I am sure Ian Hislop and his team know the local media publications very well.

 

[The Gentleman]

The post isn't about who is to blame though, is it? It's just highlighting what a bullshitter Saint Ann is.

I never said it was about blame though did I. Said poster says he blames all sides in previous posts. I was merely pointing out that that all he does is post stuff like this against one side which sort of contradicts his blaming of all sides. Unless of course you or anyone else can show me his posts doing the same against all sides as much as he does against CCC.

 

[covcity4life]

lmao gentleman does not like anything that shows up his beloved council!

clown

 

[covmark]

lmao gentleman does not like anything that shows up his beloved council!

clown

My ban nomination obviously wasn't heeded. Damn

 

[Moff]

Good to know.


Did not see them, so, no is the answer


I referred to Private Eye readers rather than Private Eye as I am sure Ian Hislop and his team know the local media publications very well.

Fair enough!

 

[CCFC PimpRail]

I still don't understand what the beef is about- whether Ann Lucas lied by saying ACL were profitable when they made a loss in a year when there weren't any large concerts at the Ricoh, or whether they were needlessly charging their primary tenant a higher rent than necessary when football financial regs require every penny of revenue to be scrutinized when there was room for negotiations...