RBS serves up Wimbledon hospitality

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Customers will enjoy fine dining and champagne courtesy of the bank as they watch the tennis championships at the All England Club.

Players including British star Andy Murray will step on to the grass courts for the two-week tournament, which starts on Monday.

RBS is now more than 70% owned by the taxpayer after being hammered by the financial crisis.

It reported record UK losses in 2008 and tens of thousands of staff have lost their jobs.

According to the Mail on Sunday, the RBS corporate hospitality package for SW19 is costing up to £300,000.

An email leaked to the paper describes the bank's booking of an "entertainment suite" for more than 42 guests for each of the tournament's 13 days, at a cost of at least £19,500 a day. In addition, the bank will pay up to £100 for each Centre Court seat and £75 a head for lunch, according to the paper.

A spokeswoman for RBS was unable to confirm the costs but said the deal had been a long-standing agreement and pointed out that customers rather than staff would be attending.

She said: "We fully recognise that as we get our house in order we need to be seen to change the way we operate. We have cut our hospitality by 90% this year to recognise the reality of our situation. The cost of the Wimbledon event is already sunk in and contracted. We are using it to support our charity partners and customer relationships which are vital to our success."

Earlier this week, former RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin bowed to public pressure and offered to hand back more than £210,000 a year of his controversial pension payout. The bank's disgraced ex-chief executive "volunteered" to reduce his pension payout from £555,000 to £342,500 a year.