They are throwing endless resources at trying to rescue an empty, pointless tent in the middle of nowhere

William Hague

But the Dome's new executive chairman, David James, said that would make no sense whatsoever.

"It wouldn't make any financial logic to close today," he told BBC News.

He said an early closure would mean millions of pounds would be spent paying off contractual liabilities.

He said part of the problem the Dome was now facing was that it had failed to make a register of its assets and should have asked for �90m as an advance on the sale to Nomura last month rather than �43m.

David James: Closing immediately would make no sense

He also voiced his opinion that the Dome should never have been built.

"Clearly it was not perhaps a wise decision," he said at a press conference.

The Dome's chief executive, Pierre Yves Gerbeau, insisted the attraction was a worthwhile venture.

"We have worked very hard to prove that there was a viable business here," Mr Gerbeau told BBC News 24.

"That nasty surprise yesterday was very difficult to take," he said.

Mr Gerbeau also revealed that the Dome had enough money to keep operating until the end of the year.

He said Tuesday's �47m handout was to cover past liabilities.

Dome finance

�399 in lottery money �160m in sponsorship �85m in commercial revenue Nov 1999 - �50m subsidy Jan 2000 - �60m subsidy May 2000 - �29m subsidy Aug 2000 - �43m sale advance Sep 2000 - �47m lottery money

Lord Falconer, the minister responsible for the Dome, said he was very disappointed it had been necessary to ask for extra funding, but dismissed Conservative calls for the Dome to be closed and for him to resign.

"I intend to stick with this project, " he said.

"It brings great regeneration benefits to the country as a whole."

The latest �47m grant came just months after the Dome received �29m in lottery money and a �43m advance from the sale of the attraction to the Japanese bank.

In total, the project has received �132m from subsidies and sales advances to keep the Dome open until the end of the year.

The Millennium Commission said that without the handout the Dome's operators NMEC would have gone into liquidation.