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The Conservatives are set to make a record £1.5million profit from this year's conference.
Party sources say the cash has come from donations and fees charged to businesses and lobbyists attending the annual gathering.
Chief executive and fundraiser Andrew Feldman is being credited with the success of the money-raising ventures. Among new ideas is a shopping mall in the conference exhibition centre featuring stalls by Harvey Nichols, Crombie, Marks & Spencer and even Carpetright.
A record 12,500 passes have been allocated to party members and an army of other conference goers, from lobbyists promoting business interests to journalists and cameramen.
Potential donors eager to curry favour with a likely government-in-waiting have been feted with meetings with shadow ministers and VIP seats for key speeches.
An insider said: "The party machine is better oiled than it has been for years and years. Andrew Feldman has had a remarkable week making money for the election campaign." Profits at a political conference are seen as a key indicator that business leaders expect a party to win the next election. Labour enjoyed similar successes in 1996 when their conference exhibition had to be expanded to fit in the blue chip companies eager to be linked to Tony Blair.
