Leisure Report articles from August 2007

Leisure Report archives from August 2007

Gambling Act tribulations roll on.
August 1, 2007... The 2005 Gambling Act, intended to revolutionise the UK's gaming laws and bring them into the 21st Century, has entered a new state of confusion with the announcement by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport that James Purnell, the...

Parkdean targeting aggressive growth.
August 1, 2007... Caravan park operator Parkdean Holidays has bought rival Weststar Holidays for a reported 83m [pounds sterling], and now plans to continue its acquisition spree for the next few years. Parkdean is owned by Alchemy Partners, John Moulton's...

Walker says what he sees.(Inside track)
August 1, 2007... 'Just say what you see'--Roy Walker used to urge contestants on the show Catchphrase. Well, another Walker, this time Sir David, has said what he sees in the private equity market, which will be an awful lot more once his recommendations are...

Livingstone launches mid-market boutique.(Breaking News)
August 1, 2007... Livingstone Guarantee, the London-based independent corporate finance house, has announced a merger with its long-standing Spanish partners and a new US-based mergers and acquisitions advisory house to create the first integrated investment...

Positive business outlook for UK hospitality firms.(Breaking News)
August 1, 2007... Business confidence in the UK hospitality industry has grown significantly over the last year, with 80% of UK restaurateurs and hoteliers reporting a positive outlook for their company in 2007 compared to 71% in 2006. The latest study by...

Gaming fees 'can wait till renewal'--DCMS.(Breaking News)(Department for Culture, Media and Sport)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Licensed premises will not be required to pay gaming fees for converting machine permits on a fixed date in September, according to the government. The decision to allow licensed premises to only be charged the annual fee for machines when...

Tillman set to triple Lord Coe's health club estate.(Breaking News)
August 1, 2007... Entrepreneur Harold Tillman is in talks to buy a range of health clubs which would triple the size of Lord Coe's 18-strong Complete Leisure Group. He will become the day-to-day boss of the firm while former running champion Seb Coe...

Merlin 622m [pounds sterling] sale-and-leaseback.(Breaking News)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Merlin Entertainments Group has completed a 622m [pounds sterling] sale-and-leaseback deal with entrepreneur Nick Laslau's investment vehicle, Prestbury, for its property assets. Merlin, which is owned by Blackstone, will now rent the sites...

Walker calls for PE transparency.(Breaking News)(Private equity)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Private equity companies are being encouraged to publish annual accounts and outline sources of funding in an attempt to stem criticism levelled against them. The report by Sir David Walker has made a number of suggestions, including...

Health clubs drive revenue improvement at JJB.(News: Health & Fitness)
August 1, 2007... JJB Sports, the sportswear retailer and operator of indoor soccer centres and health clubs, told shareholders at its annual general meeting that revenues from its non-retail businesses are 20.4% ahead of last year, for the 24 weeks to 15 July...

Leisure Connection up for sale at 50m [pounds sterling]?(News: Health & Fitness)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Leisure Connection, which operates more than 80 sports and leisure centres on behalf of local authorities, as well as private health clubs and swimming pools, is for sale at up to 50m [pounds sterling]. In partnership with local...

Fusion wins contract to run private club.(News: Health & Fitness)(Fusion)(Virgin Active)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Fusion, the not-for-profit leisure management company, said it has won the contract to manage a private health club, previously run by Virgin Active, at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, the training centre for Olympic squads. ...

Shokk in youth JV with energie.(News: Health & Fitness)(Shokk)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The energie Group and Shokk have launched a joint venture business based on the Shokk's youth fitness model targeting young people aged between five and 15 years. Jan Spaticchia, energie founder and chief executive, said: "With childhood...

Life Fitness wins Oxfordshire bid.(News: Health & Fitness)(West Oxfordshire District Council)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Life Fitness has been awarded the tender to supply health and fitness equipment to West Oxfordshire District Council. The 400,000 [pounds sterling] contract provides for the upgrade of equipment at three of the council's existing leisure...

DC Leisure rolls out service improvement plan.(News: Health & Fitness)
August 1, 2007... DC Leisure has launched a company-wide service improvement plan (SIP) which it is rolling out to each of its 120 sites. This initiative is a follow up to the company's client survey, which was conducted earlier this year. Each site will...

US spa franchise targets UK.(News: Health & Fitness)
August 1, 2007... Planet Beach, the US tanning salon and spa chain, plans to expand into Britain and Ireland with 200 outlets ahead of a possible 25m [pounds sterling] flotation, The Sunday Times reports. The group, which has 345 outlets across the US,...

Virgin Active wins brand award.(News: Health & Fitness)('best brand' at this year's awards)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Sunday Times PricewaterHouseCoopers Profit Track 100 awards named Virgin Active 'best brand' at this year's awards. Matt Merrick, Virgin Active's UK finance director, said: "It has been an incredible year for us especially after recently...

Soccercity Fareham sale announced.(News: Sport)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Soccercity, the operator of football facilities and children's play centres, said it has agreed to dispose of the business and assets of its indoor football centre at Fareham, Hampshire, including contracts and employees, to Holyrood for...

Playgolf improves its score but is still a fair way from profitability.(News: Sport)(Playgolf Holdings)(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... Reporting final results for the year to 31 December 2006, Playgolf Holdings, the listed UK golf site developer, said turnover was 2.94m [pounds sterling] (2005: 2.391m [pounds sterling]) an increase of 23%, and gross profits rose to 1.543m...

Multiple bidders circle Southampton Football Club.(News: Sport)
August 1, 2007... At least three potential buyers are now eyeing up Southampton Football Club, which has already received takeover interest from Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen. The activity has driven shares higher and forced the company to make a statement to...

Hong Kong firm ups its stake in newly-promoted Birmingham City.(News: Sport)
August 1, 2007... Recently promoted Premier League club Birmingham City said it had received an approach regarding a possible acquisition of its share capital, which may or may not lead to an offer. The company said Hong-Kong listed Grandtop International...

Gambling firms agree code of practice on replica shirts.(News: Sport)
August 1, 2007... Gambling companies that sponsor football clubs have agreed in principle to comply with a voluntary code of practice over advertising on replica shirts. (See p1,2) Under the agreement, championed by BISL, they will not allow their logos on...

Paddy Power predicting 36% profits hike.(Financial report)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker, has announced that it expects to report a 36% increase in underlying profits for the year, driven by favourable sporting results in the first half. The company said that assuming the favourable results in the...

PartyGaming confident of future prospects.
August 1, 2007... PartyGaming, the leading listed online gaming company, said its financial performance in the second quarter was in line with management's expectations and it "remains confident about the prospects for the full year". The group's interim results...

William Hill eyeing improved 2007 Ebitda.
August 1, 2007... William Hill, the bookmaker, said it continues to trade in line with expectations and expects to report Ebitda for the first half of 2007 marginally ahead of last year, and remains comfortable with consensus estimates for the full year. Hills...

Loss widens as Probability mulls 'aggressive' strategy.
August 1, 2007... Probability, the mobile gambling company, reported a wider full-year operating loss, in line with its expectations, despite posting higher revenues. The firm announced an operating loss of 2.2m [pounds sterling] for the year to 31 March,...

Rank expecting fall in H2 profits.(News: Betting & Gaming)
August 1, 2007... Rank Group, the casino and bingo operator, has warned that the smoking ban in England and the impact of changes to casino taxation are likely to have a negative affect on its second-half profits. In a trading update, the company reported a...

Sportech planning to open new channels.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Trading at Sportech, the UK football gaming firm, is in line with expectations and group is making good progress, Piers Pottinger, chairman, told investors at the firm's AGM. The firm said it is exploring both "domestic distribution and...

Top Ten reports 9.3% rise in pre-tax profit as turnover trebles.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Top Ten Holdings)(Financial report)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Top Ten Holdings, the UK's third largest bino operator, has reported a 9.3% rise in pre-tax profit to 2.6m [pounds sterling] for the 53 weeks to 1 April 2007. Turnover was up 29% to 30.6m [pounds sterling]. The company, which currently...

Phone betting up at Ladbrokes.(News: Betting & Gaming)
August 1, 2007... Ladbrokes reported it had seen a rise in telephone betting from high-spending customers over recent weeks. The company said it expected operating profit from its phone betting business to be approximately 45m [pounds sterling] higher in the...

Arena earnings to fall but flood damage hurdle can be cleared.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Financial report)
August 1, 2007... Arena Leisure expects its half-year revenues to fall below expectations, due to poor attendances at its Wolverhampton and Lingfield racecourses. In a trading update, the company said it does not expect to recoup the lost revenue, and...

Fun subsidiary signs MSN gaming deal.(News: Betting & Gaming)
August 1, 2007... WorldWinner, a subsidiary of Fun Technologies and the leading provider of online game competitions, announced it had renewed a multi-year exclusive deal with Microsoft to provide skill-based game tournaments for cash and prizes on the MSN games...

IGH is 'close to profitability'.(News: Betting & Gaming)
August 1, 2007... Interactive Gaming Holdings, the online sports betting and gaming company, said it was confident that it was close to achieving group profitability. Announcing its final results for the year to 30 November 2006, the firm posted turnover of...

Weather Lottery outlook is good.(News: Betting & Gaming)
August 1, 2007... The Weather Lottery said it was confident of growth over the next year, having received a "significant" number of enquiries about its Weather Lottery database. The firm said it had used the 75,000 [pounds sterling] raised from a...

Gamingking posts profit.(Financial report)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Gamingking, the listed supplier of lottery products, said it had achieved Ebitda of 0.5m [pounds sterling] on turnover of 5.1m [pounds sterling] for the year to 30 April 2007, and made a full-year profit from operations, despite recording an...

Cyberview to miss targets as Venezuela weighs.(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Cyberview Technology, the listed supplier of server-based systems to the gaming industry, said it expects full-year trading to be lower than market expectations, with profit before interest and tax for the year to 31 December 2007 of around...

888 confident of reaching full-year forecast.
August 1, 2007... 888.com, the online gaming entertainment company, announced in a brief trading update that it continues to trade in line with management's expectations, and remains confident about its prospects for the full year. The firm's interim results...

Sportingbet CEO backs his own firm with investment.
August 1, 2007... Sportingbet, the online gaming firm, said its chief executive Andrew McIver bought 100,000 shares at 56.75p each. McIver now holds a total of 269,025 shares in the company.

Licensing laws hurting small music events.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)
August 1, 2007... Some very small scale live music events have had to be cancelled or had unnecessary restrictions placed on them following the introduction of the new licensing laws, according to the independent Live Music Forum's report, published in July. ...

Odeon in JV with over-50's insurer.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)
August 1, 2007... Odeon Cinemas is to team up with RIAS, the over-50s specialist insurer, for a deal which will sees RIAS sponsor the 'Odeon Senior Screen'--offering the over-50s access to regular, reduced-price cinema screenings across the country. The...

Georgica mulls deal, rival AMF seeks sale.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Georgica, which operates Rileys snooker clubs and Tenpin bowling centres, is in detailed talks over a 70m [pounds sterling] sale-and-leaseback of its outlets, according to reports. The firm is believed to be negotiating to sell the snooker...

Cineworld sees strong H1 trade across industry.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)(Cineworld Group)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Cineworld Group, the listed UK operator, said the UK cinema industry has enjoyed a strong first half of 2007, with box office takings up 9.5% on the same period last year, according to information collated by Nielsen EDI. This reflects a...

Visitor numbers rise at theme parks worldwide.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
August 1, 2007... Attendance at the world's 25 biggest theme parks rose by 2.9% year-on-year to 186.5m 2006, according to research by Economics Research Associates, the US consultants. Attendance at the top 20 parks in Europe grew by 1.9% to 59.2m visitors....

Hospitality and tourism strategy launched to boost 2012 benefits.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
August 1, 2007... Ken Livingstone, mayor of London, has officially launched the capital's skills strategy, designed to boost opportunities in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism in London ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games. Prepared by People1st, the...

Center Parcs in partnership with Tragus.(News: Tourism & Attractions)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Tragus Holdings, the casual dining group, is to manage nine restaurants at Center Parcs' UK holiday villages. The partnership is part of a 12m [pounds sterling] investment in the development of restaurants and bars at its Center Parcs'...

Strong pound deters inbound tourists.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
August 1, 2007... Ukinbound, the tourism association, said visitor arrivals increased by 4.2% year-on-year in May, compared with rises of 4.5% in April and 5.2% in March, continuing the recent trend of 'modest' increases in both visitor numbers and forward...

PD pegs out bid for Parkdean.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
August 1, 2007... PD Parks, the firm backed by private equity firm Alchemy Partners, has made a cash offer for the remaining 18.25% of Parkdean Holidays that it does not already own. The 289p a share offer values the issued share capital of Parkdean at...

McD's to invest 30m [pounds sterling] in UK sites.(News: Food & Drink)
August 1, 2007... McDonald's is set to spend around 30m [pounds sterling] over the next five years on updating its high street restaurants across the UK as part of its modernisation plan to drive future growth and improve its image. The fast food chain...

Giraffe to grow by eight sites.(News: Food & Drink)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Giraffe, the world-themed cafe chain, is to open eight new restaurants within the next 10 months, taking its estate to 24 sites. The new openings will include four franchise outlets based in airports in partnership with The Restaurant Group...

Healthy options drive soft drinks market.(News: Food & Drink)
August 1, 2007... The UK soft drinks market saw healthy volume growth of 3.6% to 14,345 million litres last year, driven by sales of natural refreshments such as smoothies, according to new research. The latest UK Soft Drinks report from drinks consultancy...

Hamburger U talking Turkey.(News: Food & Drink)(Hamburger Union)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Hamburger Union, the fast-casual burger format led by Hugh Fowler, is set to sign a franchise deal to open sites in Turkey. The group, which is currently in negotiations with an unnamed company in Turkey, announced in May that it had signed...

Brake Bros sold to Bain Capital.(News: Food & Drink)
August 1, 2007... Brake Bros, which supplies most of the UK catering industry, has been sold to US private equity group Bain Capital for an estimated 1.4bn [pounds sterling], after a bidding war. The sale generated significant profits for private equity firm...

Coffee Republic signs Irish franchise deal.(News: Food & Drink)
August 1, 2007... Coffee Republic has signed a franchise agreement, which will see the brand launched in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The company has signed an agreement with CR Coffee Houses to develop its coffee and dell bar concept in the...

Up to a third more consumers will eat out more after smoking ban.(News: Food & Drink)
August 1, 2007... Over a third of UK consumers are more likely to eat out once the smoking ban comes into force, according to new research by Deloitte. The survey of 1,000 consumers found that 33% would eat out more often, while just 9% would eat out less...

Recycled heating system for lido.(News: Property & Development)(Avalon Leisure)(Mendip District Council)(Brothers Drinks)
August 1, 2007... Avalon Leisure, the leisure management providers, and Mendip District Council have teamed up with Brothers Drinks, the makers of festival pear, apple and strawberry ciders, to warm Shepton Mallet's lido using recycled heat, in a ground-breaking...

Fusion reopens Brockwell Lido.(News: Property & Development)
August 1, 2007... Fusion has completed the first phase of the redevelopment of Brockwell Lido ready for the 2007 summer season. The pool has been restored with new changing areas, reception and yoga studio. The second phase, due to be completed in September,...

Rotherham PFI moves on.(News: Property & Development)(DC Leisure )
August 1, 2007... The largest leisure PFI to date, a 35m [pounds sterling] project which includes the design, build, finance and operation of four leisure facilities in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, is being progressed by DC Leisure in partnership with Rotherham...

Ascot Group acquires 4m [pounds sterling] Shorrocks country club.(News: Property & Development)
August 1, 2007... The Ascot Group has acquired the Shorrocks Hill Country Club in Formby, near Liverpool, for 4m [pounds sterling]. The club includes functions rooms, restaurants, bars, a nightclub, health spa and creche. It also features the Pinetops Health &...

Crerar plans St Andrews health club.
August 1, 2007... Crerar Hotels, the Scottish group, is planning to develop a new hotel and health club at St Nicholas Park in St Andrews. The company has applied for outline planning permission for a two-storey, 80bedroom property, following a public...

Visit London signs "showcase" deal.
August 1, 2007... Visit London is to set up a "visitor showcase" as part of the Quadrant Development on Regent Street, London, writes The Times. The organisation has signed heads of terms on a 10-year lease with the Crown Estate to set up the venture.

Top Ten sells bowling site.
August 1, 2007... Edward Symmons Hospitality & Leisure has sold Riverside Bowl, Wallasey, on behalf of Top Ten Leisure. The business comprises a freehold 24-lane bowling centre and Lazerquest venue with amusements. Opened in 2005, it has been acquired by...

Autumn start for 10m [pounds sterling] Widnes scheme.
August 1, 2007... Development of a 10m [pounds sterling] family-orientated leisure centre, designed to become one of the North West's leading entertainment destinations, is to be started in Widnes this October. The Venture Fields leisure centre project by...

'Green' issues confuse willing firms.(News: Industry)(Survey)
August 1, 2007... Nearly every single hospitality business believes it has a responsibility to look after the environment according to a new survey by Beacon, the hospitality purchasing consortium, but an almost equal measure still find the issue of energy...

Brand loyalty is key to success.(News: Industry)
August 1, 2007... Businesses should concentrate more on keeping loyal customers than on attracting new ones, according to the latest research. A study by Datamonitor found it costs nine times more to attract a new consumer than retain one. Brand loyalty is...

Partnerships and transport--keys to success in the capital.(News: Industry)
August 1, 2007... Leading leisure operators, property agents, local councillors and the police have all called for increased communication and partnership work to solve drink-related problems in central London. Speaking at the Restaurant Property Advisors...

Leisure groups make Fast Track.(News: Industry)(Gala Coral)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Gala Coral, Europe's biggest gaming company, has slipped from top spot to 22nd in The Sunday Times Fast Track list of Britain's 100 biggest private companies. It still ranked sixth among companies with the biggest profits. Bet365 was the...

New Licensing Act guidance set out.(News: Industry)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The DCMS has published its revised guidance to the 2003 Licensing Act, which includes new advice on preventing crime and disorder. The guidance includes information on the responsibilities of licensees to take responsible steps to prevent...

'Police smoking sensibly'--Flint.(News: Industry)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Local authorities have been told by former health minister Caroline Flint to adopt a softly-softly approach at first over people who break the law banning smoking in public places. Flint, who was replaced in last month's Cabinet reshuffle,...

Fats and figures: forget the terror threat, says David Minton, we're more at risk from obesity, so why not introduce a national sports card to monitor fitness participation?(Insight)
August 1, 2007... I've come to the conclusion that the obese, disabled and the bulk of the ageing population flock to garden centres, particularly over a bank holiday weekend. That's not meant to be a Duncan Bannatyne style of inflammatory statement, just fact....

Burned by the Olympic flame? Denis Lee and Robert MacGinn of Silverman Sherliker warn that under new legislation, the promised economic benefits could be replaced by an atmosphere that stifles free enterprise.(Insight: Legal--The 2012 Olympics)
August 1, 2007... The recent controversy surrounding the Olympic logo for the 2012 Games in London may be just a foretaste of trouble ahead for businesses hoping to benefit from the world's biggest sporting event. New laws put the aesthetics of the branding in...

The East-West connection: Phil Cain, our Balkans correspondent, investigates the rise of the river cruise industry following the collapse of Communism and the link of the Rhine to the Danube.(Insight: Cruises)
August 1, 2007... The collapse of European Communism at the end of the 80s made many think the 2,845km Danube, the only river flowing from West to East, might be set for boom in riverborne tourism. The Balkan wars soon put paid to this romantic notion, but it...

The carbon-trading flaw: environment correspondent Jonathan Endersby investigates carbon emissions trading and considers whether free-market environmentalism is the best way to limit climate change.(Insight: Carbon footprints Real Estate Investment Trusts)
August 1, 2007... Recent figures from the Department of Trade & Industry show that rather than declining, Britain's carbon emissions are at their highest level for 10 years. While some businesses have been voluntarily introducing measures to increase energy...

In the Reit vacuum of vector.(Inside Track)
August 1, 2007... The implosion of the 2bn [pounds sterling] Vector IPO has left something of a vacuum. The deal, which was to be the UK's first leisure real estate investment trust (Reit) would have seen an eclectic swathe of hotel assets owned by MWB, RBS...

Price war on the gym floor: Ray Algar and Neil Burton look at how the emergence of 'cross shopping' and new super-budget clubs will affect the mid-market health club sector.(Insight: Budget gyms)
August 1, 2007... So, are you a Waitrose or a Lidl shopper? A few years ago, you would have been one, neither, but certainly not both. How things change. Now, British consumers are running rings round marketers by being a Waitrose shopper on Monday and a Lidl...

House of cards tumbles down: the Neteller saga appears to be drawing to a close, writes Simon Westaway, but with the firm's shares still suspended and its market position in tatters, where did it all go wrong?(Feature: Neteller)
August 1, 2007... NETeller, the online payment processing firm, was initially one of the success stories of the online gaming revolution. At its peak, it was processing millions of dollars' in transactions every day, and by 4 September, 2004 it had signed up its...

Department of Culture, Media and Sport.(People on the move)(appointment of Margaret Hodge, Gerry Sutcliffe and Grant Hearn)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been revamped as part of the reshuffle of the cabinet. Margaret Hodge has been named as the new tourism minister, replacing James Purnell, who will now head the department as culture...

William Hill.(People on the move)(appointment)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... William Hill, the bookmaker, has announced that David Harding is to step down as its chief executive by the end of this year. Harding said: "Having spent seven years helping to build the company into the UK's leading bookmaker, the time is...

Tragus Holdings.(People on the move)(appointment of Simon Johnson )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Tragus Holdings, operator of the Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Strada brands, has added Simon Johnson to its acquisition consultancy team. Johnson, who previously held a consultancy role at Gondola Holdings, has joined the company as...

Roadchef.(People on the move)
August 1, 2007... Roadchef, the motorway services operator has named Richard Hunt, currently its head of operations, as interim chief executive, following the resignation of Martin Grant, in the wake of the group's takeover by Delek, the Israeli real estate...

Albert Dock Company.(People on the move)(appointment of Joe Edge )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Leisure and retail expert Joe Edge has been appointed as director of the Albert Dock Company, with responsibility for letting and marketing Merseyside's most visited tourist attraction. He joined on 23 July 2007. Edge brings with him a wealth...

Sportech.(People on the move)(appointment of Jon Holmes )(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Sportech, the UK's leading football gaming business, unveiled the appointment of Jon Holmes as a non-executive director, with immediate effect. Holmes has worked in the sports industry for more than 25 years as a successful client manager and...

Whitbread.(People on the move)(appointment of Reas Kondraschow)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Whitbread, the UK leisure group, said it has appointed Reas Kondraschow as group development director. Kondraschow is joining from Wyndham Hotel Group, based in the US, where he was executive vice president of international development. He will...

Fun Technologies.(People on the move)
August 1, 2007... Fun Technologies, the AIM-listed gaming software firm, announced at its AGM that four directors, Mark Carleton, Harvey Solursh, John Albright and Andrew Rivkin, did not stand for re-election. Three new members have been elected to Fun's board:...

Trixter Group.(People on the move)(appointment of Steve Barton)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... Steve Barton, currently UK sales director for Technogym, has been appointed as UK managing director for the fast-growing Trixter Group. Trixter manufactures and distribute the X-Bike across the UK, USA and Europe, with Barton's appointment...