Treasury Holdings, which is part of a consortium which wants to take over the troubled Millennium Dome should know today what is the outcome of a final British government ruling on its £125 million sterling (€208 million) bid. Treasury Holdings, the property company run by Mr Johnny Ronan and Mr Richard Barrett is reported to be one of the main backers of the bid by Legacy.

Ministers, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Mr John Prescott, met yesterday to consider whether to bestow preferred bidder status on Legacy. The company, under Labour Party-supporting property entrepreneur Mr Robert Bourne, has said it will "regretfully withdraw" if there is no favourable outcome from the meeting.

Any delay in an announcement is by no means bad news for Legacy, which wants to turn the south London attraction into a high-tech business park, creating 14,000 jobs in three years.