Leisure Report articles from June 2004

Leisure Report archives from June 2004

Industry 'risks derailing Gambling Bill'.(Gambling industry)
June 1, 2004... One of the biggest threats to the introduction of the proposed new gambling laws remains the industry itself. That was the message from the first industry-wide event since the publication of the Joint Scrutiny Committee's response to the Draft...

'Eatertainment' concept gets backing for roll out.(JH Entertainment and Dawnay)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A fast casual restaurant/entertainment concept targeting families is planning to roll out in leisure parks and shopping sites nationwide after the signing of a joint venture agreement between start-up firm JH Entertainment and Dawnay, Day...

New Olympia owner targets casinos.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... St James Capital, the property investment vehicle which recently became the new owner of the Earls Court & Olympia Group with Nomura International, is looking at investing in several large-scale casino developments in partnership with a number...

Will leisure conglomerates ever make a comeback?(Inside track)(First Leisure Corporation PLC)
June 1, 2004... First Leisure's glory days, when it was a multi-disciplined leisure conglomerate and the darling of the City, seem a long time ago. The First Leisure of old has been slowly whittled away, selling off its divisions one-by-one including the...

Report pushes fitness up government agenda.(News)
June 1, 2004... The national press stories stating that walking and gardening are just as effective as going to a gym did nothing to suppress the enthusiasm of the health and fitness industry's reception of the long-awaiting Chief Medical Officer's report. ...

New Odeon CEO but no refinancing.(News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Odeon, the largest cinema circuit in the United Kingdom, announced the appointment of a new chief executive, but hopes of an imminent conclusion to the long-running saga over its future financing looked unfounded Leisure Report went to press....

Arena wins Doncaster racecourse.(Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Arena Leisure was picked as preferred bidder, ahead of Chepstow Racecourse plc, by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, as its partner to operate and redevelop Doncaster Racecourse. The joint venture deal is subject to due diligence and...

MGM leaves Wembley for BLB.(News)(BLB Investor leads acquisition bid)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... BLB Investor was on track to succeed with its 308.6m [pounds sterling] offer for Wembley as Leisure Report went to press, after MGM Mirage withdrew from the bidding battle. MGM, the casino operator from the United States, opened the bidding...

London 2012 Olympics face next hurdle.(News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... London must convince the International Olympic Committee that it has strong national support to host the 2012 Olympics, that it can sufficiently improve public transport and that it has robust security measures in place if it has a chance of...

Betting firms announce upbeat trading updates.(News)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Trading statements from Hilton Group, William Hill and Stanley Leisure showed strong trading in the betting industry. Hilton reported that pre-tax profits before goodwill amortisation and exceptional items were tip by 106% from the same...

Whitbread to step up investment in David Lloyd Leisure.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Whitbread said it plans to step up expansion of David Lloyd Leisure in 2004/2005 now that the development programme for the club brand has been "reinvigorated." In the year to 4 March, Whitbread spent a total of 230m [pounds sterling] in...

Aludel closes two clubs after strategic review.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Aludel, the owner of the women-only Reviva Fitness Clubs chain, has closed two of its sites as a result of a strategic review of the business, leaving it with 15 clubs. The firm decided to close its Chester site under a break-clause in the...

Contract management firms announce merger details.(Health & fitness news)(CCL Leisure)(Clear Channel Entertainment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Parkwood Holdings is to acquire rival local authority leisure contract management firm CCL Leisure. The cash deal will see Parkwood pay an initial 100,000 [pounds sterling] a year after completion and an amount equal to CCL's net assets at...

Reebok club signs name deal.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Reebok SportsClub London, Europe' largest private members' sports club, has signed an agreement enabling it to continue using the American sportswear giant's branding. Negotiations over the name of the club at Canary Wharf had been ongoing...

Reflex planning growth despite deepened losses.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Reflex Group, the operator of the 32-strong chain of Motorcise Healthy Living Centres, said it is planning to expand with more company owned sites, franchised centres and by boosting membership through its joint venture with National Slimming...

Greens improves most in De Vere results.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Greens Health & Fitness, the standalone fitness club arm of De Vere Group, was the division that showed the strongest improvement in sales and profit for the six months to 28 March. During the period, turnover for Greens increased by 3% to...

Membership drives up Clubhaus.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Increased membership subscriptions led to an improvement in trading at Clubhaus, the country club and golf operator which is being bought by its management for 56m [pounds sterling], including debt. In the six months to 31 March, turnover...

Saga hints at health club plans.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Saga, the insurance and travel provider for the over-50s, said it may consider opening health clubs for active older people in the future. Andrew Goodsell, the group's chief executive was quoted as saying: "One of the big areas is probably...

Fitness First for Women created.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Fitness First is honing its portfolio of women-only clubs in the long run-up to its planned reentry onto the stock market. The firm was due to have completed the 100,000 [pounds sterling] rebranding of its 13 Fresh Start Fitness for Women...

Gaming International considers future plans as losses deepen.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Gaming International, the greyhound stadia and leisure and facilities management firm, said it continues to consider options for its future, including a possible management buyout offer, as it reported that losses deepened during 2003. In...

LCI steps up provincial expansion plans.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... London Clubs International said that in the next six months, it hopes to announce sites for up to four further provincial casino developments, after unveiling details of its proposals for Scotland's biggest casino, to be built as part of the...

UK's first racino scheme faces government planning hurdle.(Betting & gaming news)(casino alongside a racetrack)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Plans for the United Kingdom's first racino--a casino alongside a racetrack--have been delayed by the government's decision to call in the scheme. Arena Leisure's joint venture planned with Gala Group at its Wolverhampton Racecourse,...

Carlton dismisses flotation reports.(Betting & gaming news)(Carlton Clubs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Carlton Clubs, the largest independent bingo operator in the United Kingdom, said reports that it is planning to float the business were "pure speculation." The company, which currently operates 18 bingo clubs throughout Scotland and...

Exchange operators call for betting code of practice.(Betting & gaming news)
June 1, 2004... Betting exchanges and licensed betting offices continued their war of words, with the three leading operators of exchanges in the United Kingdom calling for a new code of practice for all betting organisations as the best way of addressing...

Provincial casinos 'subdued' at Rank.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The Rank Group said subdued trading provincial casinos and losses at its Clermont casino in London held back the gaming division in the first few months of this year to 17 April. In its AGM trading statement, the firm said that turnover...

Sportingbet reports record results.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Sportingbet, the world's largest online betting group, announced a more than five-fold increase in pre-tax profits for the year to 31 March, helped by a turnaround in its European business. The company reported profit before tax of 9.2m...

Ukbetting on track for 04 ebitda profit.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Ukbetting, the on-line sports content and gaming firm, said it was on track to deliver profits at earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation level this year, after posting a loss for 2003. The company reported a pretax...

Gaming Corp buys online marketing firm.(Betting & gaming news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Gaming Corporation has acquired an online advertising firm to enable it to drive traffic to its own online gaming assets. The firm bought Eyeconomy, which has managed online media campaigns for firms including Betfair, Ebay and Multimap,...

Attheraces to go head to head with Horse Racing Channel.(Sport news)
June 1, 2004... The racing and betting industries' opportunities to generate revenue from televised horse racing meetings has gone from feast to famine with the announcements that not only is attheraces relaunching, but its new rival, the Horse Racing Channel,...

Wentworth club in sell-off speculation.(Sport news)(golf club)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The private members golf club at Wentworth is set to go on sale in the wake of a 2bn [pounds sterling] management buyout at Chelsfield, the property group chaired by Elliot Bernerd that owns a 60% stake in the exclusive club, which could fetch...

Liverpool debates merits of two potential rival bidders.(Sport news)(Liverpool Football Club)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Liverpool Football Club struggled to the end of a disappointing season on the field with uncertainty hanging over its Anfield ground. Concerns over the club's future in all areas abound as the board mulls over two approaches from potential...

Hearts cuts losses amid uncertainty.(Sport news)(Heart of Midlothian FC )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Heart of Midlothian FC reported reduced pre-tax losses of 557,000 [pounds sterling] for the six months to 31 January, but said this was "set against the difficult backdrop of uncertainty over where [the club] will be playing football in future...

Sunderland still 33m [pounds sterling] in red.(Sport news)(Sunderland Football Club)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Sunderland Football Club faced a crucial fortnight of play-off games at the end of the season that could see the club back in the lucrative Premier League, the extra income from which could go a long way towards reducing its mountain of debt....

Cine-UK rollout continues with Didcot deal.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Cine-UK, the owner of the 36-strong Cineworld multiplex chain, has secured a site for a five-screen town centre cinema complex in Didcot, Oxfordshire. The proposed Didcot multiplex is smaller than Cine-UK's usual standard model for eight...

EasyCinema loses fight for Notting Hill.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Coronet Cinema)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... EasyCinema, the low-cost cinema operator, lost its fight to acquire its second site when the Pentecostal Church bought the lease of the Coronet Cinema, in Notting Hill, west London. The cinema firm had offered to up its 2m [pounds sterling]...

Springwood leases and tough trading put First Leisure into administrative receivership.(Cinema & entertainment news)(First Leisure Corporation PLC)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... First Leisure, the former conglomerate that shrank to a nightclubs-and-pubs business, has been forced into administrative receivership in a knock-on from the collapse of Springwood earlier this year After Springwood, the owner of the...

Vue boosts portfolio by buying Cinemark's UK sites.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Vue Entertainment, the multiplex operator, has boosted its portfolio to 41 sites through the acquisition of two former Cinemark International cinema complexes. The sites in Northampton and Scunthorpe, have 10 screens and seven screens...

Mean Fiddler returns to the black.(Cinema & entertainment news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Mean Fiddler Group, the music venue operator and performance promoter, reaped the benefits of its restructuring programme in 2003 with a return to profit. The firm made profits of 1.3m [pounds sterling] in the 12 months to 31 December,...

Publicy-funded attractions seek private sector assistance.(Tourism & attractions news)
June 1, 2004... Merlin Entertainments Group, the operator of the Sea Life aquarium chain, is planning to develop a tourist attraction at Loch Lomond, after winning the contract to manage an ailing visitor centre at the Scottish National Park. Merlin...

Deep-Sea reels in growth plans as MD resigns.(Tourism & attractions news)(Stuart Earley)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Deep Sea Leisure, the owner of two aquarium attractions in the United Kingdom, is no longer on the acquisition trail after the decision of the firm's majority shareholder to focus on continental Europe, and the resignation of Deep-Sea's...

Smorgs to double Irish Travelodge.(Tourism & attractions news)(Irish Travelodge Smorgs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Smorgs to double Irish Travelodge Smorgs, a private Irish hotel group, has unveiled plans to double the presence of Travelodge in Ireland after acquiring the eight-strong budget hotel business from Permira for 15m [pounds sterling]. The...

Parques Reunidos makes first move outside Spain with Belgian park buy.(Tourism & attractions news)(Bobbejaanland)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Parques Reunidos, the Spanish theme park operator bought last year by Advent International, the American venture capital firm, has made its first move outside its homeland with the acquisition of Bobbejaanland in Belgium. The purchase, for...

GB Holiday Parks considers future.(Tourism & attractions news)(Greenlake Caravan Park)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... GB Holiday Parks, the caravan park operator backed by Royal Bank of Scotland, announced the acquisition of its 19tb park, as it confirmed its future funding plans are under review. The group purchased the freehold of Greenlake Caravan Park...

300m [pounds sterling] Suffolk snow scheme proposals plough ahead.(Property & development news)(Onslow Suffolk)(Mid Suffolk District Council)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... An outline planning application was due to be submitted to Mid Suffolk District Council in the first week of June for the 300m [pounds sterling] redevelopment of a former cement works as an indoor real snow ski slope-anchored leisure site. ...

Racecourses unveil multi-million redevelopment plans.(Property & development news)(Chester and Aintree)
June 1, 2004... Chester and Aintree have become the two latest racecourses to announce ambitious development plans. At Chester, a deal has been signed with David McLean Group, the building firm, to create a 75m [pounds sterling] scheme including 200...

Concepts still king in the UK pub and bar market.(Guide to UK Pub, Bar & Nightclub Brands 2004)
June 1, 2004... A new report highlights what's new, what's growing and the trends that are keeping 'brands' at the heart of licensed retailing. Branded pubs and bars have not had a good press this past year. High Street concepts, in particular, have...

Planned Welsh holiday park site put up for sale.(Property & development news)(F&P Developments)(Adventure Holiday Parc)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... F&P Developments is touting for a joint venture partner or a buyer for its 480-acre site in the Afan Valley, South Wales, which has outline planning permission for a 60m [pounds sterling] holiday park. The Adventure Holiday Parc proposals...

Ex-PizzaExpress directors target restaurant chains with rival investment vehicles.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Two former directors of PizzaExpress have launched a new vehicle to buy growing restaurant chains. John Metcalf and Glen Tomlinson have joined Tim Woodcock, who has business interests with Hugh Osmond, to form Urban Dining. The venture was...

Eat chain founders launch all-day cafe.(Eating & drinking news)(Amano)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The founders of the Eat sandwich bar chain have launched a new all-day cafe concept in London, called Amano. Jonathon Cooper and Ed Bentley have described Amano as likely to become "the premier multi-product, all-day cafe brand for the 21st...

Sports Cafe unveils expansion plans.(Eating & drinking news)(Coliseum Group)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Coliseum Group, owner of the Sports Cafe chain, announced that it would open a further five venues by the end of this year, with three more planned for the end of 2005. The news came as the company reported a 22% increase in sales to 7.8m...

Oxfam launches ethical coffee chain.(Eating & drinking news)(Oxfam FairTrade Co.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Oxfam is launching Britain's first chain of Fair Trade coffee shops, with plans for 20 outlets over the next three years. The charity has teamed up with third world coffee co-operatives and Fair Trade coffee roasting company Matthew Algie...

British Waterways names waterside pub shortlist.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... British Waterways announced it had shortlisted three candidates as partners in a new nationwide waterside pubs business. The Brains Mansford Consortium, a joint venture of SA Brain and Mansford Holdings; Punch Taverns; and Scottish &...

McDonald's reports healthy Q1 earnings.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... McDonald's reported a 56% increase in first-quarter earnings to $511.5m (285.4m [pounds sterling]) on the back of the success of its new salad lines. The chain has also profited from a slump at rival Burger King and a rebound in the...

KFC to roll out new designs.(Eating & drinking news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... KFC restaurants in the United Kingdom are to launch an updated image, based on the success of the 'Soul Food' angle of its current advertising campaign. An initial nationwide test of 17 sites will be completed in 2004, with a view to...

BHA tells industry to prepare for smoking ban.(Industry news)(British Hospitality Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The British Hospitality Association is calling for the industry to give up on the voluntary charter on smoking and work on the framework for a ban instead. Bob Cotton, the organisation's chief executive, said: "We have to accept the...

Leisure industry assesses impact of EU Gender Directive.(Industry news)(European Union)
June 1, 2004... Single-sex gyms, swimming clubs and ladies' nights in nightclubs could come under threat from a new European Union directive, that could become British law within 15 months. The European Gender Directive is the brainchild of Anna...

Sector Skills Council launches.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... People 1st, the government-funded Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries has been officially launched by Richard Caborn, the Sports and Tourism Minister. The SSC announced that Sir Francis Mackay,...

Further action to be taken on drinking issues.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Police are to employ young people as 'mystery shoppers' in undercover sting operations designed to crack down on shops and bars that sell alcohol to under-age drinkers, the government has announced. Shops and bars that are seen to be...

London licensees make election demands.(Industry news)(Westminster Licensees Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... 'Joined-up thinking' and better transport were both high up on the Westminster Licensees Association's manifesto, released ahead of the London mayoral elections. The organisation called for the Tube to run until 3am at least within Zone 1...

Bacta/ATEI appoints first group CEO.(Industry news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Bacta, the amusement machine trade body, and ATEI Group, owner of the sector's largest exhibition, have appointed their first group chief executive officer. The position has been filled by Roger Hayes, who has headed two promotional and...

Acquisition-led consolidation pits trade vs VCs; Simon Cope-Thompson explains new research showing the appetite for deals is healthy.(Research--mergers and acquisitions)(venture capital)
June 1, 2004... The leisure sector in the United Kingdom is set to see a continued wave of acquisition-led consolidation in most segments over the next three years, with acquisition activity continuing at a similar pace to the previous three years. That is the...

Making the difference: provincial casinos offer great potential, even without deregulation, Arthur Baker tells Mel Flaherty.(Profile)
June 1, 2004... "I wish I'd discovered UK casino ownership 20 years ago," enthuses Arthur Baker, the chief executive of Blue Chip Casinos, as he sits taking in the atmosphere and enjoying the food at the firm's latest site, The Rubicon in Wolverhampton. ...

Growing pains: Dominic Walsh of The Times says a faltering start should not dent Center Parcs' future prospects.(Behind the headlines)
June 1, 2004... Newspaper headlines such as "Vomit bug hits resort" and "Center Pukes" cannot be helpful at the best of times when you're trying to attract customers to your holiday villages. But coming shortly after a somewhat controversial stock market...

Rewarding experience? Tony Clarke says loyalty schemes have many pitfalls but, run well, are a good way to retain customers.(Opinion)(Leisure industry)
June 1, 2004... The term 'loyalty' is banded around like confetti at a wedding. Every company likes to think that its quality service, excellent product range and customer-focused approach to business will be rewarded with a loyal customer base, inextricably...

Leisure Report LR Index leisure stockwatch June 2004.(Sharewatch & diary dates)(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... There were mixed fortunes for the gambling sector this month, despite the generally positive outlook in the light of the opportunities presented by the proposed new gambling laws. Rank Group saw its shares slip more than 10% after announcing in...

Diary dates.(Sharewatch & diary dates)(Leisure industry)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 1, 2004... June Event: bar.04 Date: 8-9 Location: Earls Court Two, London Description: Event for bar owners, operators, managers, consultants, designers and suppliers. Contact: Martin Mochan, Bar Exhibitions, 0161 476 5580 ...