A NEW managing director has been appointed to the Alexandra Palace trading company. Rebecca Kane, a former visitor operations director at English Heritage, will be responsible for all trading activity at the palace from December 1. Ms Kane said: It is pl

A NEW managing director has been appointed to the Alexandra Palace trading company.

Rebecca Kane, a former visitor operations director at English Heritage, will be responsible for all trading activity at the palace from December 1.

Ms Kane said: "It is pleasing to see how much has already been achieved in such a short period.

"I am sure I can bring to bear my experiences at English Heritage which will only benefit Alexandra Palace in the long term."

The trading company has been clouded in controversy after last month's Walklate Report, which questioned why its income had deteriorated so drastically from more than £1.25million in May to July in 2006 to £245,000 in the same months in 2007.

The report suggested this dramatic downfall was engineered to push along the controversial deal with developers Firoka.

But chairman of the trading company, Cllr Matt Cooke, believes the new appointment will help to rebuilt it: "These are tremendously exciting times for the palace and Rebecca Kane's appointment is testament to the work that has been done over the last year to secure the future.

"We now have to build on that work and take the next positive steps forward and I am confident Rebecca will make an enormous contribution to the culture and drive of the palace and its trading company and we welcome her to the team.