Leisure Report articles from December 2003

Leisure Report archives from December 2003

Energie unveils global fitness franchise plans.(Energie Fitness )
December 1, 2003... Energie Fitness has unveiled plans for a global health club franchise business with ambitions to open 500 sites worldwide within five years. The company, set up by Jan Spaticchia, the founder of HiLife Holdings, with backing from...

Industry submits gambling Bill concerns.
December 1, 2003... Organisations from across the industry were in the process of submitting their responses to the Draft Gambling Bill to the joint scrutiny committee tasked with advising the government on the proposed new legislation, as Leisure Report went to...

2004--a happy new year for the leisure industry?(Inside track)
December 1, 2003... This time last year, the pages of Leisure Report were crammed full of takeover speculation and reports of proposed privatisations, particularly in the betting and gaming and health and fitness sectors. 12 months on and there are still a few...

Listed Center Parcs to seek smaller sites.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Center Parcs, the UK holiday operator acquired for 285m [pounds sterling] by a consortium led by Collins Stewart, will look to the coast in its search for new sites, following its launch on the market. Trading in the holiday chain was due...

Spirit may sell Premier Lodge for quick return.(News)
December 1, 2003... Spirit Group, the new owner of the Premier Lodge chain of budget hotels, may be seeking a buyer as it looks for some quick cash returns from savings and sell-offs. The private-equity backed pub group is highly geared after the deal that...

CDC to grow Tussauds after scrapping sale.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Charterhouse Development Capital is now planning to recapitalise The Tussauds Group and to continue growing the business for the next two years after rejecting the final bids for the tourist attractions firm. BC Partners and PAI, the...

Sovereign purchases DC Leisure for 14m [pounds sterling].(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sovereign Capital, the UK private equity company, purchased DC Leisure Management, the United Kingdom's second-largest operator of local authority leisure centres, in a deal worth 14m [pounds sterling]. The deal comprises 7m [pounds...

LA Fitness clubs to 'adopt a primary school'.(Health & fitness news)(Fitness Industry Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... LA Fitness revealed plans that could see each of its 66 clubs 'adopt' a local primary school to try to foster healthier lifestyles among young children. Fred Turok, the company's chief executive, said the initiative, part of a wider...

Crown Sports to fast-track to Aim.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Crown Sports, owner of the Dragons chain of health clubs, which said in September it would be transferring its listing from the main London Stock Exchange to the Alternative Investment Market, announced it will take advantage of the new...

Esporta appoints property director.(Health & fitness news)(Paul Guyer appointed new property director)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Esporta has appointed Paul Guyer as its new property director. Guyer, who previously led the leisure team at Donaldson's and has worked for Odeon and Rank Group, will be briefed to lead the firm nut of Europe and to expand its UK estate. ...

Fight Club to open in Essex.(Health & fitness news)(Xtremetrainers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Xtremetrainers, the personal training company, will open its first UK "Fighting Gym" offering boxing and a range of fighting sports in Essex in January 2004. The public will be able to learn a variety of martial arts, including Savate,...

Fisher steps down from exec role at Holmes Place.(Health & fitness news)(Allan Fisher resigns as executive director )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Allan Fisher, the founder and former chief executive of Holmes Place, is resigning as an executive director of the health and fitness club operator. Fisher, currently deputy chairman, will remain on the Holmes Place board as a...

Leisure-led Village chain brings best returns for De Vere.(Health & fitness news)(Village Hotels & Leisure Clubs)(Greens Health & Fitness )
December 1, 2003... Carl Leaver, the chief executive of De Vere Group said the company would put more emphasis on its Village Hotels & Leisure Clubs chain, which features health and fitness facilities, as it provides better returns on investment than its luxury De...

Buxton spa development plan moves ahead.(Health & fitness news)(High Peak Borough Council)(Derbyshire District Council )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Plans for a 23m [pounds sterling] spa facility in Buxton, Derbyshire, have taken a step forward with the appointment of a developer for the scheme. High Peak Borough Council and Derbyshire District Council selected Trevor Osborne Property...

Fitness First global update.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Fitness First said it opened 14 new clubs in the final quarter of 2003, consolidating its position as the second largest health club chain in the world. It opened 11 clubs in Continental Europe--seven in Germany, two in Spain and one each...

Struggling Leeds Utd in takeover talks.(Sport News)(Allan Leighton has resigned his position on the board)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Leeds United, the struggling football club, announced it was in discussions with "a number of interested parties" which could lead to a takeover offer. The club had warned it may have to go into administration, despite securing a formal...

RCA chairman to stay on for 'crucial' 6 months.(Sport News)(Racecourse Association)(Racetech)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Keith Brown, chairman of the Racecourse Association, has agreed to stay in the post for an additional six months, to guide the RCA through the impending "crucial period" for the industry. Brown's three-year contract is due to expire at the...

Villa denies bid rumours.(Sport News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Aston Villa dismissed reports that a Venezuelan millionaires was interested in buying the club as "pure speculation." Mark Ansell recently resigned his post as chief executive, fuelling speculation that a bid was imminent, but the board...

Man United reveals new deals.(Sport News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Manchester United announced a new 36m [pounds sterling], four-year sponsorship deal with Vodafone, due to commence on 1 June 2004. The current deal, which was signed in June 2000 and expires at the end of May 2004, was worth 30m [pounds...

Charlton Athletic scores operating profit of 2.8m [pounds sterling].(Sport News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Charlton Athletic bucked the trend for financial problems in football clubs by posting an operating profit of 2.8m [pounds sterling] for the year to 30 June 2003. Turnover was up 15% to 35.1m [pounds sterling], thanks mainly to an increase...

Cup run lifts Watford Leisure year-end figures.(Sport News)(Watford Leisure )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A strong performance in the FA Cup last season offset losses incurred due to the collapse of the deal with ITV Digital, Watford Leisure announced in its yearly results. The club made a headline loss of 10.3m [pounds sterling] (2002: 6.9m...

Racing Trust granted seven-year licence.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Racing Trust, the consortium of racing interests buying the Tote, will be granted an exclusive licence to run pool betting for seven years trader the terms of the Horserace Betting and Olympic Lottery bill, revealed by the government. The...

Gaming Corp eyes expansion.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gaming Corporation, the online casino operator behind the casino.co.uk website, reported turnover had soared more than ten times from 842,593 [pounds sterling] in 2002 to 8.6m [pounds sterling] in the 12 months to 30 September 2003. The...

Isle of Capri signs for Salford site.(Betting & gaming news)(Red City Developments)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Isle of Capri, the US casino operator has signed heads of terms to develop a regional casino and entertainment complex in Salford, six miles from Manchester City Centre, in conjunction with Red City Developments. The complex will include a...

Rank reports 'mixed results'.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Rank Group said its Grosvenor Casinos business had seen "mixed results" since June, with the London market "soft" yet provincial outlets enjoying growth in turnover and profits. In a trading statement for the 21 weeks to 22 November, Rank...

Sportingbet in interactive TV gaming deal.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Fixed odds betting games will be available on UK interactive television, as Sportingbet, the world's leading online betting and casino operator, announced it had signed a three-year partnership deal with YooMedia, the interactive entertainment...

Penn in talks to buy Wembley.(Betting & gaming news)(Penn National Gaming is one of a number of suitors for Wembley, the UK gaming group)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Penn National Gaming is one of a number of suitors for Wembley, the UK gaming group, the company confirmed. Penn announced it was in talks over a "possible cash acquisition" for part or all of the beleaguered racing and gaming group, which...

Ukbetting raises 11m [pounds sterling] for expansion.(Betting & gaming news)(Oddschecker)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... UKbetting, the online betting and content provider, is set to become the UK's second-largest independent sports content group, after it announced it would acquire Oddschecker for 4.75m [pounds sterling]. UK betting said it would raise 11m...

Ladbrokes betting on Paddington commuter custom.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Ladbrokes, the Hilton Group-owned betting shop chain, announced plans to open the first bookmakers on a mainline railway station. The proposals, subject to new gambling laws, would allow commuters travelling through Paddington Station to...

Rushton replaces McGill in Sportech hot seat.(Betting & gaming news)(Colin McGill has stepped down from his position as managing director of Sportech and will be replaced by George Rushton)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Colin McGill has stepped down from his position as managing director of Sportech, the company that owns Littlewoods Gaming, to retire, aged 55. George Rushton, a former director of Bourne Leisure, the holiday parks firm, and most recently...

Toon Army links with MGM Mirage.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Newcastle United Football Club has linked up with the hotel and gaming company MGM Mirage for a joint venture to develop land next to the club's ground. The two want to build a complex of commercial and retail outlets, residential...

Stanley Leisure bets on improved trading.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Bouncing back from the profits warning it issued earlier in the year, Stanley Leisure reported that trading across all its divisions had improved over the two months since its AGM on 10 September. Leading the improvements were the group's...

PokerRoom.com to market to UK.(Betting & gaming news)(PokerRoom.com )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Internet poker site PokerRoom.com is to invest 1.75m [pounds sterling] in marketing in the UK, and plans to apply for a licence after deregulation of the market. The site was set up four years ago by two Swedish professional card players,...

Turnover up at Gaming king.(Betting & gaming news)(Gamingking)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gamingking, the remote gambling operator, saw turnover jump 49% in the six months to 31 October, while gross profits rose more than a quarter to 798,000 [pounds sterling] in the period. Reporting interim results, the group said its pre-tax...

Inventive Leisure warns over profits.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Inventive Leisure, the company behind the Revolution chain of vodka bars, issued a warning that results for the year would be "significantly behind current market expectations." The company had indicated in its preliminary results in...

The Cotton Club heads North.(Cinema & entertainment news)(The Apartment)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Duncan Fisher, the Newcastle based entrepreneur who owns style bar The Apartment, is planning a second site in the city, Fisher has bought the former Nat West bank in the city's Jesmond suburb, which he hopes to refurbish in the style of...

Miss Moneypenny's to roll out nightclubs.(Cinema and entertainment news)(Miss Moneypenny's)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Miss Moneypenny's, the Birmingham-based nightclub operator, announced plans for a 10m [pounds sterling] rollout of its 'lounge culture' entertainment concept. The company said it was looking at existing venues in key cities in the United...

Kinsey joins Gatecrasher board.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Paul Kinsey appointed non-executive chairman)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gatecrasher, the Sheffield-based nightclub operator and music promoter, has appointed Paul Kinsey, the former First Leisure chief executive, to its board as non-executive chairman. Kinsey will work alongside group founders Simon Raine and...

Calls for Brum to curb lap-dancing.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Birmingham City Council)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Birmingham City Council could put a stop to the spread of lap-dancing clubs throughout the city centre, the chairman of nearby Sandwell's licensing committee, claimed. Officials have said they cannot stop plans for lap dancing at venues...

Mezzanine plans to de-list after losses.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mezzanine, the nightclub and restaurant operator, plans to de-list from the Alternative Investment Market to save costs, having recorded an operating loss of 6.4m [pounds sterling] for the year to 1 June 2003, compared with a 5.5m [pounds...

Mean Fiddler to sell stake.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mean Fiddler, owner of the London Jazz Care, is reported to be on the verge of selling 16% of the company to Ireland's biggest music entertainment and events organiser, Denis Desmond, through private company MCD. Vince Power, who controls...

Euro Disney pins hopes on refinancing.(Tourism & attraction news)
December 1, 2003... Euro Disney, the operating company of Disneyland Paris, is hoping that a long-term financing agreement and a new European marketing strategy will help it improve in 2004, after reporting losses of 56m (39m [pounds sterling]) for the year to 30...

Inbound tourism figures bring cheer to industry.(Tourism & attraction news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The latest tourism data from the Office of National Statistics shows an overall increase in visitor numbers across all regions, with a 4% rise in overall spend. In the three months to October, there was a 5% increase in the total number of...

Merlin strengthens board.(Tourism & attraction news)(Merlin Entertainments appointed Mark Fisher and Johannes Mock to the board)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Merlin Entertainments, the UK family attractions operator, appointed two key board members as part of its drive to expand its UK and European operations. Mark Fisher, formerly marketing director, will become executive director of the...

VisitBritain launches new domestic tourism strategy.(Tourism & attraction news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... VisitBritain, the tourism promotion body, unveiled its new three-year plan aimed at encouraging more British people to visit home-based tourist attractions and sites. The authority revealed six key strategies to boost the value of domestic...

Deep-Sea shakes up boardroom.(Tourism & attraction news)(Deep-Sea Leisure announces appointment of Angel Barrachina to chairman and director; Juan Carlos Smith and Alfonso Carvajal will become non-executive directors)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Deep-Sea Leisure, the Alternative Investment Market-listed attractions operator, announced changes across its hoard. Following Richard Golding's resignation as chairman and director, effective from 1 December, Angel Barrachina will move...

UK to get first new racecourse in 75 years.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The first new racecourse to be built in the United Kingdom for 75 years was given the green light by planners, paving the way for the 16m [pounds sterling] redevelopment of a former coal mine. A 608-acre former opencast coal mine site at...

ODPM unveils Use Classes reform plans.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Keith Hill, the Planning Minister, announced details of reforms to the Use Classes Order, which will see restaurants, pubs and takeaways given separate categories so that premises cannot be changed from one of these sectors to another without...

Redcar in line for seafront revamp.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Persimmon Homes put forward a proposal to develop the Coatham Enclosure on the seafront at Redcar into a multi-million pound leisure and tourism hotspot. Plans for the 35-acre development are on display at the town's library until 15...

Macdonald Hotels set for Hill Valley golf and leisure.(Property & development news)(Hill Valley Golf Club)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Macdonald Hotels, the Scottish operator, announced it had formed a joint venture to turn the Hill Valley Golf Club in Shropshire into a luxury hotel, golf and country club. MacDonald and Albert and Tony Minshall, who previously wholly owned...

British Waterways seeks waterside pub partner.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... British Waterways revealed it was seeking a private sector partner for its scheme to roll out a network of high-quality waterside pubs on its 2,000 miles of canals and rivers. The proposed Waterside Pub Partnership will benefit from the...

Brighton Ice Rink gets green light.(Property & development news)(Brighton International Arena )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Brighton residents will soon be able to take to the ice, after a proposal to develop an 8,000-seat ice rink and arena was given the go-ahead by the local council. Brighton International Arena has been officially awarded preferred bidder...

Leisure Property Awards winners.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Luminar, the operator of late-night venues, and Megabowl, the tenpin centre firm, both scooped Leisure Property Awards for the second consecutive year. The companies won the prizes again in the Best Nightclub Operator and Best...

Hurdle for Olympics site.(Property & development news)(Hermes, the pension fund manager)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Plans to assemble about 500 acres of land to support London's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games have hit their first stumbling block, with one of the major landowners' reluctance to sell to the London Development Agency. Hermes, the pension...

Council approves 70m [pounds sterling] Twickenham redevelopment.(Property & development news)(London Borough of Richmond )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The London Borough of Richmond has given the green light for the proposed 70m [pounds sterling] redevelopment of Twickenham's South Stand. Under the scheme, the stadium's capacity will increase by 7,000 to 82,000, making Twickenham one of...

Pompey unveils phase two details.(Property & development news)(Portsmouth FC )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Portsmouth FC unveiled its plans for the second-phase development of its stadium, to be called Pompey Village. The residential-led 90m [pounds sterling] development will turn the brownfield Fratton Goods Yard site into more than 500 homes,...

Multiplex to anchor Wolves leisure park.(Property & development news)(Oswin Developments)(Helical Retail )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Oswin Developments and Helical Retail are set for the 30m [pounds sterling] redevelopment of a leisure site in central Wolverhampton, having acquired an 11-acre site from Next Generation Clubs. The completed leisure park, to be called...

Ravenscraig plans forge ahead.(Property & development news)(Scottish Executive )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Scottish Executive gave developer Wilson Bowden an early Christmas present, after it approved plans for the 800m [pounds sterling] regeneration of the former Ravenscraig steelworks near Glasgow. The Scottish Executive approved the...

New fast-casual dining firm seeks sites.(Eating & drinking news)(Nuvo)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Nuvo, a new fast-casual dining concept company, is looking for an initial five sites to roll out its two formats in London. The company says it will aim to combine daytime and evening dining, featuring stone-baked pizzas, pasta, salads and...

New chief for City Centre amid Ask merger.(Eating & drinking news)(Andrew Page takes over Andrew Guy's roles and becomes chief executive of City Centre Restaurants)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Andrew Guy, chief executive of City Centre Restaurants, stepped down from the role at the end of last month after just over three years at the helm. His place was taken by Andrew Page, the company's finance director, who became group...

20/20 pins hopes on Loaf & Leaf.(Eating & drinking news)(20/20)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... 20/20, the specialist retail company, plans to debut its new Loaf & Leaf outlets, which it describes as a "healthy living alternative" to fast-food chains, in London next spring. George Grace, the company's founder, who is a former director...

McDonald's to stick with Pret.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... McDonald's no longer intends to sell its 33% stake in Pret a Manger, at least not for the time being, according to the sandwich chain's founder and chief executive, Julian Metcalfe. McDonald's said it would release the conclusions of its...

Starbucks sticks to UK growth.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Starbucks said that it plans to open 50 stores in the United Kingdom in the coming year. Cliff Burrows, the company's UK managing director, said: "We did 50 in the last year, and will do 50 a year for the foreseeable future. We're now...

Tragus serves up 5.7m [pounds sterling] profits.(Eating & drinking news)(Tragus Holdings will go ahead with planned rebranding of Bella Pasta sites to Bella Italia outlets)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Tragus Holdings, which bought the Bella Pasta and Cafe Rouge restaurant chains in May 2002, reported pre-tax profits of 5.7m [pounds sterling] for its first full year of trading. Turnover in the 12 months to 1 June was 95.5m [pounds...

Michels calls for improved tourism marketing.(Industry news)
December 1, 2003... David Michels, the group chief executive of Hilton International, used the Business in Sport and Leisure conference to urge tourism officials to better promote the United Kingdom constantly and not to put all their resources into one-off...

Red tape 'comes from within'.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Most 'red tape' affecting British businesses does not come from external sources like the government, but from within the organisations themselves. That was the message from Allan Leighton, chairman of Cannons Group, the health club...

Upward-only rent reviews under scrutiny.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Upward-only rent reviews could be banned after the government finishes its review of the voluntary Code of Practice for Commercial Leases. The government review is due to be published this month. It is thought that the results will be...

Government attacks pubs over smoking.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As top doctors repeated calls for an outright ban on smoking in public places, the government has attacked the pub trade for allegedly not moving fast enough to implement its voluntary controls on smoking The junior health minister, Melanie...

Industry hit by licensing guideline delays.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The government has admitted that it cannot give a date for completion of crucial guidance and regulation notes to accompany licensing reform legislation, leaving the industry hanging. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport insisted it...

Glasgow to ban drinks promos for extra hours pubs.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The licensing board in Glasgow is refusing to allow pubs in the city that want to open beyond normal licensing times to run happy hours or drinks promotions. The council introduced the new policy following recommendations of the Nicholson...

A winning hand: Ian Wilkie of Ernst & Young on the payouts of gambling legislation reform.(Research--perceptions of gambling reform)
December 1, 2003... Gambling in the UK has changed beyond recognition in just a generation--as have Britons' attitudes towards it. Far from being seen as some kind of 'get rich quick' scheme for the foolhardy, today a majority of the population in the United...

Are you selling 'well'? The Henley Centre says the trend for wellbeing is complex but an opportunity for many sectors.(Special report--consumer research)
December 1, 2003... For a number of years now companies and retailers have attempted to respond to consumers' interest in their physical and, to a lesser extent, their mental wellbeing. The Henley Centre's analysis shows that the wellbeing concept's meaning to...

Street's ahead: the MD of Chepstow plc tells Mel Flaherty he is looking forward to changes in the racecourse industry.(Profile)(Chepstow PLC)
December 1, 2003... When Sir Stanley Clarke, the plumber turned millionaire, was searching for a manager for his Uttoxeter Racecourse 10 years ago, he did not want a trilby-wearing, double-barrel surnamed 50-plus-year-old to fill the position. So he appointed Rod...

Visionary venues with an eye on the past: Martyn Cornell looks at Luminar's plans to maximise use of its nightclubs.(Behind the headlines)
December 1, 2003... There were some strange reactions to Luminar's announcement of a strategy change that would see it try to get more income per square foot out of its venues--reactions that can probably be put down to the fact that the Teenage Scribblers in the...

Leisure Report LR Index leisure stockwatch December 2003.(Sharewatch & diary dates)
December 1, 2003... Unsurprisingly, most of the gambling-related stocks performed well in the last month, after the government published the main clauses of the Draft Gambling Bill. William Hill particularly benefited from the agreement between the government and...

Diary dates.(Sharewatch & diary dates)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... Event EuroAmusementShow 2004 Date 24 Location Disneyland Resort Paris Description Pan-European show for the visitor attractions industry. Contact Gianni Chiari, secretary, EAASI +39 0522 996133, eaasi@libero.it, www.eaasi.org Event...