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Byline: Daniel Boffey

The bank bailed out with [pounds sterling]20 billion of taxpayers' money faces fresh fury after agreeing to spend up to [pounds sterling]800,000 on lavish hospitality for executives at Wimbledon.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) staff are enjoying the perks of a new three-year deal under which they have the run of luxury 'Suite h' attached to the famous Court One.

They are able to dine on gourmet food and drink at a free bar offering champagne before watching matches played on the Championship's second show court.

Last year, when The Mail on Sunday revealed that RBS had paid Replica Swiss Watches [pounds sterling]300,000 for the use of Suite h for the two-week tennis tournament, the bank said its executives had attended because of existing contractual obligations.

The use of hospitality provoked an outcry, yet it appears executives have decided to ignore public opinion.

The new contract with the All england Club gives the bankers and their clients sole access to the suite for the 13 days of the tournament this year, and for the next two years. The cost this year is [pounds sterling]260,000.

RBS, which was taken to the brink of collapse by former boss Sir Fred Goodwin, was saved by a Treasury bailout in 2008 that left it 70 per cent state-owned.

Taxpayers are also guaranteeing more than [pounds sterling]325 billion in toxic assets and last year the bank promised to cut its corporate hospitality in a bid to 'get its house in order'.

During this year's tournament, it is understood that bankers and their clients have been enjoying a 'summer luncheon buffet', which includes Shetland Isles salmon, sweet chilli prawns and crayfish, asparagus and Parma ham.

Tea and coffee, a free bar, pass to Court One and a Wimbledon programme are also offered.

A source at RBS said that up to 42 people a day would use the suite, which is not open to the public.

Corporate hospitality at Wimbledon is regarded as being expensive in relation to other UK events and it is understood that bookings with the All england Club have been down in recent years.

RBS - which axed 15,000 jobs following the taxpayer bailout - also continues to sponsor Britain's No1 player, Andy Murray, and the bank backed the British Open Golf Championship at Turnberry last summer. But news of the lavish hospitality at Wimbledon - costing RBS about [pounds sterling]20,000 a day - was met with disbelief last night.

Tory MP Douglas Carswell said it was 'unacceptable' that a bailed-out bank continued to treat the taxpayer with contempt.

he said: 'Taxpayers do not want to pay their taxes so that big corporate bosses continue to enjoy lavish entertainment.' A RBS spokesman said: 'We thought hard before we renewed this contract in the light of our position and the substantial cuts we have made to our hospitality budgets. however, we are still a bank with customers to talk to and events such as this provides the opportunity for us to spend time with key clients.' Star-gazing stars of the Royal Box FROM football legends and Olympic gold medallists to tennis aristocracy - four decades of sports stars rubbed shoulders in the Royal Box at Wimbledon yesterday to cheer on defending champion Serena Williams.

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Martina Navratilova, who won the women's singles title a record nine times, was
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