M&B to offload pubs for £373m August 20, 2010 Pubs and restaurants group Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has announced plans to sell 333 pubs as it concentrates on its premises offering food. The pubs are being sold to Stonegate Pub Company – which is controlled by TDR Capital – for £373m. Earlier this month, M&B announced the sale of its Hollywood Bowl 10-pin bowling [...]
FOCUS ON: MORDEN, SURREY August 19, 2010 RIVERSIDE HOUSE, MORDEN ROAD £199,950 This two-bedroom apartment in a smart riverside development is ideal for the first-time buyer. It has an undercover reserved parking bay. Contact: Ellisons on 020 8543 1166, www.ellisons.uk.com MAIN HOUSE, THURLESTON AVENUE £499,950 A semi-detached five-bedroom property close to Morden Park, this family home has an extensive rear garden and [...]
Go surf ‘n’ turfing in Farringdon August 18, 2010 Redhook 89 Turnmill Street, EC1M 5QU Tel: 020 7065 6800 FOOD SERVICE ATMOSPHERE Cost per person without wine: £40 THE restaurant industry has a huge crush on Farringdon. Farringdon is the cool girl that couldn’t care less, twiddling her hair and looking this way and that, with her grimy streets and warehouse-style apartment buildings. The [...]
finance boss in the wars after hitler gag August 16, 2010 AS A hack, it gets frustrating to be confronted with a deafening silence when asking any financier to stand up and publicly defend the industry against politically-motivated attacks – especially when the same hotshots are perfectly happy to shoot their mouth off when cornered in private. But, refreshing as it is to find an exception [...]
Desmond’s Channel Five revolution August 11, 2010 THE inevitable bloodbath occurred at Richard Desmond’s newly acquired Channel Five yesterday as seven directors and more than a quarter of the 300 employees were given their marching orders. The Northern & Shell and Express Group owner has promised further cost savings at the loss-making broadcaster but also an expansion of the programming budget to [...]
M&B to sell bowling firm in £39m deal August 9, 2010 PUBS and restaurants group Mitchells & Butlers is offloading its Hollywood Bowl ten-pin bowling business to rival AMF Bowling for £39m. AMF will add Hollywood Bowl’s 24 sites to its existing 33 UK bowling centres. M&B is selling non-core businesses to focus on its pub operations, which include Harvester, Toby Carvery, Vintage Inns and O’Neill’s. [...]
M&B to sell Hollywood Bowl for £39m August 9, 2010 PUBS and restaurants group Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is selling its Hollywood Bowl ten-pin bowling business to AMF Bowling for £39m ($62m). Hollywood Bowl’s 24 sites will be added to its current 33 UK bowling centres. M&B is selling “non-core businesses” to focus on its pub businesses, which include Harvester, Toby Carvery, Vintage Inns and [...]
It pays to be the canary in the mine August 5, 2010 LONDONERS in search of rental bargains are getting wise to the fact that moving a few miles east into the Docklands gets you more space and higher specs for the same money. Rental prices in the Canary Wharf/Docklands area are on the up, but still offer better value than most other places within a short [...]
Get shirty with the tailor August 5, 2010 THE difference between an off-the-peg suit and one that’s been properly tailored is usually pretty easy to spot – the latter will have a better fit, smarter hang and finer structure at the very least. It’ll also be more comfortable for the wearer, and should contribute to their confidence and poise – a tailor would [...]
Lion asks Rothschild to advise on £250m sale of Wagamama August 1, 2010 PRIVATE equity firm Lion Capital is understood to be re-examining an exit of Japanese noodle chain Wagamama after cancelling a flotation of the business three years ago. Rothschild, the investment bank, is advising Lion on a sale process which could value Wagamama at between £200m and £250m. Rothschild was involved in the initial public offering [...]