Sports Direct day: Mike Ashley is opening his company’s AGM to the public
Sports Direct's founder Mike Ashley invited MPs to visit the company's Shirebrook warehouse while they were investigating working conditions at the site – and now he's inviting you too.
Yes, that's right, Sports Direct is opening its annual general meeting (AGM) to the public so everyone can have a go at Ashley for paying his workers less than the minimum wage.
Read more: Four of the most jaw-dropping working practices at Sports Direct
It's likely to be an explosive AGM; shareholders have been advised to oppose Ashley's re-election to the board. Who wouldn't want to witness the dethroning of the UK's second most controversial retail tycoon (the nation's most controversial is on a yacht in Greece)? It's all pretty Hunger Games.
Better yet: the Eventbrite page says there will be a "refreshments break". Twice. (Which is funny because it emerged in parliamentary hearings that Sports Direct workers were not allowed to take breaks to drink water.)
Sports Direct's invitation reads: "The purpose of the open day is to enable the board to engage with as many people as possible in an open discussion about the business."
But the company is obviously keen to make sure the day is well-filtered; anyone with questions must "pre-register" them before attending.
If you're wondering whether the Sports Direct open day is worth your time, take a look at the thrilling schedule Ashley has put together:
| 9am – 11am | Board meeting (closed to the public, sadly) |
| 10:45am – 11am | Registration of AGM attendees |
| 11am – 11:45am | AGM – normally for shareholders only, but observers are welcome to attend |
| 11:45am – 12:15pm | Question and answer session for AGM attendees (and observers) |
| 12:15pm – 12:30pm | Refreshments break |
| 12:30pm – 1:30pm | Site tour for AGM attendees |
| 1:30pm – 2pm | Lunch break |
| 1:45 – 2pm | Registration of open day presentation attendees |
| 2pm – 3:45pm | Open day presentations and Q&A – topics for discussion might include: Why do you run your warehouse like a Victorian workhouse? |
| 3:45pm – 4pm | Refreshments break |
| 4pm – 5pm | Site tour for open day attendees |
| 5pm | Close of day |
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