Over on The Scoop right now, you can read probably the strangest Greenwich Council story I’ve ever come across – the mystery of who offered to pay Bryan Ferry £60,000 to perform at the Dome.
One of Boris Johnson’s aides, marketing director Dan Ritterband, made the claim at a London Assembly scrutiny meeting last week.
The Roxy Music frontman was due to be paid £60,000 to perform at the opening of a sports industry conference at the Indigo2 venue. Under questioning from the assembly, he said the mayoralty wasn’t paying foe the show, and Greenwich had agreed to pay all or some of the money.
“Potentially, the people of Greenwich might have something to say about that,” he said.
“More fool them,” a voice chipped in.
But Greenwich Council’s vehemently denying it – and says the contract states the GLA was due to pay the money. It’s an odd yarn, and one that may develop. And it’s given me Slave To Love as an earworm for days.
You can read it at The Scoop now.
Abject apology made to LBG (text courtesy of Newsshopper):
” A BORIS Johnson aide has apologised and branded himself “an idiot” over claims Greenwich Council tried to book Bryan Ferry for £60,000.
Daniel Ritterband, the mayor’s director of marketing, came unstuck during a budget meeting at City Hall.
He had claimed the council tried to book the Let’s Stick Together singer to open SportAccord, a promotional event held at the IndigO2 in April.
But both the council and the mayor’s office have since denied spending Greenwich taxpayers’ money on the event, which the singer pulled out of due to ill health.
In a letter to the council, Mr Ritterband asks for forgiveness, saying: “I am writing to apologise for my incorrect statements given at the Budget and Performance committee last week – I’m an idiot!
“I have no defence for my stupidity and should have been more prepared for the questions.” “