Peers seek to tackle Royal Albert Hall ‘conflict of interest’
A group of peers is seeking to amend legislation to prevent trustees of the Royal Albert Hall profiting from selling tickets they hold the rights to on third-party sites.
The Conservative peer Lord Hodgson says an amendment to a private bill aims to address a “longstanding and fundamental conflict of interest lying at the heart of the governance of the hall”.
The venue sold more than 1,000 seats to investors to help finance its construction in 1866. These remain in private hands today, with those who own them permitted to sell tickets to most events at the hall on the private market.
Of a total of 25 council members, 19 own seats and could potentially profit in this way, leading to the perceived conflict of interest. Tickets for some events, such as a 2003 Ed Sheeran concert, have been advertised at almost 30 times their face value.
The Royal Albert Hall Bill, currently in the House of Lords, would make a number of changes to the charity’s constitution, including more flexibility for trustees to decide which events are reserved for seat holders.
Hodgson’s amendment says that tickets sold by seat holder trustees can only be sold through the hall’s ticket return scheme, which sells them at the standard price.
The venue is opposed to the amendment, saying it is unworkable, impractical and would “damage the hall irreparably”.
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