Hippodrome chief slams 'insensitive' plans

The owner of the London Hippodrome today stepped into the row over Westminster parking charges with a withering attack on the Tory council.

Simon Thomas is about to reopen the Hippodrome in Leicester Square as a casino, which involved the renovation of two listed buildings.

Describing himself as "a serious Conservative party supporter", he said: "I have spent tens of millions of pounds on the project and am appalled at the insensitivity of the council now to businesses in the area. If I knew early on that the council would treat us this way, I would have reconsidered my decision to invest in Westminster."

He responded furiously to a request from Central Office to help the Tories win next month's Feltham and Heston by-election.

When he was asked to help out with canvassing he replied: "I am reconsidering my support generally to the Conservative Party. Mr Thomas said: "The increasing media storm on the matter is also damaging to the Conservative Party. It is being seen as money grabbing and insensitive."

Members of the Musicians' Union say the increased parking charges will cost them around £100 extra a week to work evenings in the West End.

They are staging a protest outside the Palace Theatre, in Cambridge Circus, between 5pm and 8pm tomorrow. Union organiser Dave Webster said the proposed charges "is a tax on their work and a tax on entertainment that is unsustainable".