Leisure Report articles from November 2002

Leisure Report archives from November 2002

Funders line up to back Fitness First MBO.
November 1, 2002... The private equity houses Cinven, Bridgepoint and Permira are believed to be among a string of UK investors plotting a bid for the High Street health club operator Fitness First. One press report says the companies are lining up to back a...

Ex-Pinnacle boss Lewis reveals plans for 40 Top Golf centres in UK and Ireland.(Stephen Lewis)(Henderson European Fund Partners L.L.P.)(Top Golf Game Centres)(Baydrive)(Leisure Gestion)(IMG)
November 1, 2002... Stephen Lewis, the former managing director of Pinnacle Leisure Group, who sold his health club chain to Cannons for 87m [pounds sterling] in 1999, has revealed plans to roll out a chain of up to 40 high-tech golf leisure attractions throughout...

Sale and leaseback--a good option?(Inside track)
November 1, 2002... For most people, splashing out on a leisure experience and pizza is a night out, for Hugh Osmond it is 700m [pounds sterling]-plus investment. While the potential 251m [pounds sterling] bid from Osmond's investment vehicle, Sun Capital...

Osmond takes ownership of Center Parcs sites.(News)
November 1, 2002... Sun Capital Partners, the investment vehicle owned by Hugh Osmond, is the new landlord of the four-strong Center Parcs business after it completed a 465m [pounds sterling] sale and leaseback deal with former owner Deutsche Bank Capital. ...

Whitbread puts up 15m [pounds sterling] stake to invest in European leisure businesses.(News)
November 1, 2002... Whitbread is putting up to 15m [pounds sterling] into a 145m [pounds sterling] private equity fund raised by Langholm Capital to invest in European consumer-based businesses. The investment will give the group the chance to look at new...

Two ready for new Holmes place bids.(Health & fitness news)
November 1, 2002... Cannons Group is believed to be poised to make another bid for Holmes Place. The company withdrew its original 202m [pounds sterling] offer last month after Holmes Place issued a profits warning, but is now reported to be planning a lower...

Norfolk indoor tennis club on the market.(Health & fitness news)(Sedgeford Racquets & Fitness Centre)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Sedgeford Racquets & Fitness Centre in Hunstanton, Norfolk is for sale for 750,000 [pounds sterling]. The sale, through property consultant FPD Savills, has been forced by escalating development costs, which led to debt that was too great...

Struggling HiLife chain goes into administration.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... HiLife Holdings, the privately-owned chain of seven health clubs aimed at those who previously had never visited gyms, has gone into administration. The company, which has 6,000 members t, is being run by RSM Robson Rhodes, pending a sale....

Topnotch reports widening losses.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Topnotch Health Clubs reported widening losses, the week after revealing that it had breached banking covenants. Underlying losses for the year to April 30 were 518,000 [pounds sterling], up from 159,000 [pounds sterling] in 2001, while...

Hunters Leisure shares suspended.(Health & fitness news)(Hunters Leisure )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Shares in Hunters Leisure have been suspended on AIM after the company's administrator decided to delay publishing the year to April results until the sale of all its four clubs is completed. The sale will allow the company to reduce its...

Crown Sports and chairman Chapman battle over bid.(Health & fitness news)
November 1, 2002... Crown Sports and its chairman Jeff Chapman are engaged in a vicious war over Chapman's 14.5m [pounds sterling] bid for the company, with each side claiming to have the best interests of shareholders at heart. The Crown Sports board has...

JJB Sports to announce new chief executive as it considers MBO.(Health & fitness news)
November 1, 2002... JJB Sports, the retailer and fitness club operator, is expected to announce imminently a new chief executive to replace Duncan Sharpe, who committed suicide. The company, which recently appointed Blacks Leisure and Ultimate Leisure...

LA Fitness tries to cheer investors.(Health & fitness news)
November 1, 2002... LA Fitness tried to cheer investors after the profits warning from its rival Fitness First, with results for the year to 31 July 2002 that showed basic earnings per share up by 44%. The company's share price fell 16% from 197.5p to 165.5p...

Profiles for Women announces roll out.(Health & fitness news)(Profiles for Women )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Profiles for Women has opened two women-only clubs in Putney, southwest London and Croydon and announced that it will roll out a further eight sites in the South of England over the next six to eight months. The company bought the 10 sites...

Greens shoots up after last year's losses.(Health & fitness news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Greens, the health club chain owned by De Vere Group, the hotels and health and fitness firm, is expected to achieve an operating profit of approximately 1.3m [pounds sterling] against a loss of 1m [pounds sterling] in the previous financial...

Sheraton sees takings up with spa.(Health & fitness news)(Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh said that it had seen its weekend leisure business by 20% since opening its One Spa in September last year. Peter Murphy, the general manager of the Sheraton Grand, said: "Market research...

Report deals blow to UK Olympics hopes.(Sport news)
November 1, 2002... The British Olympic Association's hopes of winning ministerial support for a proposed London bid for the 2012 Olympics, have been hit by a report to the government which says the event would incur a deficit of 494m [pounds sterling]. The...

Fans and funders fear for future of football finances.(Sport news)
November 1, 2002... Finance is the most pressing concern relating to the future of football for all those with an interest in the game, according to the broadest ever survey of the sport. The State of the Football Nation was commissioned by The Football...

Golf courses up for grabs in Leeds.(Sport news)(Leeds City Council)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Operators looking to become a significant force in the UK golf market have an unusual opportunity to acquire five courses put on the market by Leeds City Council. The pay and play courses are available individually or as a group, with 75...

Leicester City looks to Lineker to score.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Debt-ridden Leicester City Football Club is hoping that its former star player Gary Linker will turn out to be its saviour, after escalating debt forced the First Division club to go into administration. Lineker is part of a consortium...

Manchester United hotel for sale.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Manchester United is selling its 25% stake in Golden Tulip Manchester, its official hotel. The 160-room hotel is owned by Extramini, a venture capital group made up of 25 individuals alongside Manchester United. Extramini is now seeking...

Storm collapse cuts pro ice hockey to six.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The collapse of Manchester Storm, the second-biggest draw in professional UK ice hockey two seasons ago, has left the ice hockey Superleague with just six teams. Manchester Storm folded after the team's owner, Gary Cowan, put the club into...

Premier League urges speedy appointment of new FA head.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Premier League wants a new chief executive appointed to the Football Association immediately. The urgency comes after the abrupt resignation of Adam Crozier, who will stay in the post until December. But the Premier League is not happy...

Pub faces axe if team stays in Premiership.(Sport news)(West Bromwich Albion)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A pub built into the corner of West Bromwich Albion's ground could be demolished if the team stays in the Premiership. When the club remodelled its east stand last year, it had to built around the Woodman pub. However, it has now...

Chelsea could have to sell hotels.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Chelsea Village could be forced to try to sell its hotels as a solution to its debt problems. It is expected to report losses again when it unveils its imminent results. The stadium, hotel and car park at Stamford Bridge, south west...

Clubhaus sells seven 'non-core' golf clubs.(Sport news)(AS Ludersburg Beteiligungsgesellschaft)(CS Beteiligungsgesellschaft)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Clubhaus has sold its German clubs, in line with its current strategy of disposing of its non-core assets. The Hof Trages Golf Club, Frankfurt, Ludersburg Golf Club, Hamburg, Nippenburg Golf Club, Stuttgart, Tutzing Golf Club, Munich, and...

End for jumps at Kempton mooted.(Sport news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... National Hunt jump racing at Kempton Park in west London may come to an end soon, as the company that runs the course, United Racecourses, looks at its future. Kempton is famous for the King George VI chase on Boxing Day each year. ...

New tourism body gets extra 10m [pounds sterling].(Tourism & attractions news)
November 1, 2002... The government announced the long-awaited details of the new structure for British tourism and allocated an extra 10m [pounds sterling] for marketing England. However, the money is dependent on the industry providing match-funding. Culture...

British Museum warns of insufficient funds.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The British Museum has complained that extra funding promised by the government will not be enough to meet its long-term goals. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has granted the museum 36.8m [pounds sterling], with an extra...

Nottingham to launch promotion company to boost city.(Tourisms & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Nottingham is making a bid to raise its profile as a tourism destination with the formation of a new company to encourage investment in and to promote the city. The new destination management company will be created by the merger next year...

Tourism hits 20-year low, but ABTA hopes for recovery in 2003.(Tourism & attraction news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Overseas visits to Britain slumped to their lowest level in 20 years in 2001, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The combined effects of the foot and mouth crisis and fears of flying post-September 11,...

Tourist attractions act on rises in insurance.(Tourism & attractions news)(British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions)(Tourism Alliance)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions is to start a campaign to help tourist attractions hit by massive increases in insurance premiums post-September 11. Colin Dawson, the chairman of Balppa, was due to speak at a...

Awards for museums.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The deadline is nearing for the first Museums and Heritage Awards for Excellence. The awards will recognise operators and external contractors and suppliers in 12 different categorie. The deadline for entries is 6 December and the...

Six cities vie for Capital of Culture.(Tourism & attractions news)
November 1, 2002... Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle/Gateshead and Oxford have made it through to the next stage in the competition to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008, the Secretary of State at the Department of Culture, Media and...

The show's over for MOMI.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The British Film Institute has decided it will never reopen its Museum of the Moving Image, partly due to the public's changing attitude towards paid-entry museums. The attraction, on the South Bank in London', was closed in 1999 for...

National Gallery plans 21m [pounds sterling] expansion.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The National Gallery has outlined proposals for a 21m [pounds sterling] facelift to accommodate increased visitor numbers. The project aims to boost access from Trafalgar Square by the creation of open space and the restoration of original...

Disney backed for break-up value.(Tourism & attractions news)(Groupe Flo )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Analysts expected Disney to report earnings of $1.29bn for fiscal 2002, as Leisure Report went to press. Michael Eisner, chief executive, predicts double-digit growth in earnings per share in the fiscal year ending September 2003. But...

Wookey Hole attraction on the market for 3m [pounds sterling].(Tourism & attractions news)(HLL Humberts Leisure )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The landmark tourist attraction Wookey Hole Caves in Wells, Somerset, is for sale on the open market for the first time in its history. The specialist leisure agency HLL Humberts Leisure has received more than 300 enquiries about the site...

Scottish tourism lobby gets new chair.(Tourism & attractions news)(Scottish Tourism Forum)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Scottish Tourism Forum, the lobby group for the tourism and hospitality sector north of the border, has elected Andrew Mathieson as chairman. Mathieson, who will chair both the forum and its board, helped set up the organisation in the...

Visiting friends valuable to tourism.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Research from the English Tourism Council has shown that people who visit friends and relatives generate tourism spend of 10bn [pounds sterling]. The study of the holidaying habits of almost 3,000 people in Britain shows that the average...

TownPages helped bring down tycoon Leech.(Tourism & attractions news)(TownPages.com)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Former tycoon Kevin Leech, who was declared bankrupt last month, probably has an online tourist guide partly to blame for his financial downfall from Rich List big hitter to big debtor.. Leech, whose interests included hotels and tourist...

Overseas visitor numbers to UK are creeping up, says ONS.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The number of overseas visitors coming into the United Kingdom rose year-on-year in the three months to the end of September, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The International Passenger Survey showed a...

Romanian government may have to bite silver bullet over Dracula park.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Plans by the Romanian government to open a 19m [pounds sterling] Dracula theme park in Vlad the lmpaler's hometown of Sighisoara may be altered on advice from the consultancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers. PWC has recommended that the park...

'Shoddy' London hotels attacked, but budgets earn praised from Which?(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The popularity of the Eurostar has helped to highlight how expensive and shoddy London's hotels can be compared to those in Paris, according to The Which? Hotel Guide 2003. The guide says: "The under-supply of beds in the capital allows...

London Eye losses escalate.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... London Eye is suffering escalating losses. The giant Ferris wheel on The Thames has seen the costs of servicing debts owed to its main backer British Airways, which owns 33% of the attraction, soar. A decline in tourism to the capital has...

Badger opens visitor centre.(Tourism & attractions news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Badger Brewery, which is owned by Hall and Woodhouse, has opened a 750,000 [pounds sterling] visitor centre telling the story of the company. The site at Blandford Forum in Dorset features exhibition space, a shop, bar, and a restaurant...

MWB moves towards sale of leisure assets.(Property & development news)
November 1, 2002... Leisure investor and developer Marylebone Warwick Balfour is assessing proposals from up to six companies in the running to buy its 500m [pounds sterling] portfolio of leisure property. Companies including Gerald Ronson's Heron...

Leisure at heart of Sunderland regeneration.(Property & development news)(Sunderland Council)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A former commercial centre in Sunderland is to be redeveloped as a major mixed-use site including a leisure 'zone'. Sunderland Council unveiled the plans for Sunniside which feature a 12-screen multiplex, bars, shops, restaurants mad clubs...

Coffee shops in hot water after planning ruling.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Operators coffee shops and other venues offering seating for eating and drinking could be affected by a ruling by government planning officials upholding a local authority's objection over the use classification of two sites owned by Stanbucks...

Prince's pub finds tenant after search.(Property & development news)(Romford Leisure)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Poet Laureate, the pub in the Prince of Wales's new Poundbury development on the edge of Dorchester, Dorset, has finally been found a tenant after a two-year search. The pub, which was named by Prince Charles in memory of the former...

Prescott launches phase two of Birmingham revamp.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Developers are readying themselves to bid for the second phase of Birmingham's 6bn [pounds sterling] Eastside regeneration project after deputy prime minister John Prescott officially launched the scheme. The 842,841 square foot City Park...

Ski dome planned for Snowdonia.(Property & development news)(Snowdonia Gateway)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A group of Welsh businessmen and an indoor snow technology firm from Australia are working up plans for a 165m [pounds sterling] ski dome for Snowdonia. Snowdonia Gateway and Ski Trac International are planning to unveil their proposals...

Shortlist revealed for leisure property awards.(Property & development news)
November 1, 2002... The Leisure Property Forum has announced the shortlist for its fifth annual 2002 Leisure Property Awards. This year's awards will see operators, schemes and individuals battle it out for the top prize in each of 15 categories including, for...

Brighton Marina to rival Monte.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Brighton Marina is to undergo a 100m [pounds sterling] transformation in a bid to make the resort a rival to Monte Carlo. Parkridge Developments has just completed the development brief for the 1m-plus square feet of land around the marina...

King's Cross plans move forward.(Property & development news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Argent, the property developer and St George, a subsidiary of Berkeley Group, the housebuilder, unveiled their plans the redevelopment of the land behind King's Cross station in London. The 3bn [pounds sterling] scheme, one of the largest...

Osmond and Nando's in 251m [pounds sterling] bid for Pizza Express.(Eating & drinking news)(Twigway)
November 1, 2002... Hugh Osmond, the man who helped turn PizzaExpress into the country's biggest Italian restaurant chain, has been revealed as the man behind a possible 350m [pounds sterling] bid for the company, together with the backers of Nando's. Sun...

Falling sales threaten Burger King deal.(Eating & drinking news)
November 1, 2002... The consortium negotiating to buy Burger King from Diageo has come back to say it wants to discuss "potential revisions" to the terms of its agreement in July, after sticky sales at the chain in the past few months affected performance targets...

Old Orleans pubs up for grabs.(Eating & drinking news)(Old Orleans)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Low footfall at leisure parks is behind Scottish & Newcastle's decision to sell some of the 11 Old Orleans pub-restaurants on the market for 2m [pounds sterling] through Christie & Co. Out of the 11 sites, seven are located on leisure...

McDonald's cuts don't go far enough, analysts fear.(Eating & drinking news)
November 1, 2002... Analysts fear the cutbacks McDonald's is making may not be enough to turn the company around. The fast-food giant is cutting back new openings from 2,000 outlets a year to 600. It also wants to cut overall capital expenditure by $100m to...

Madisons boss 'open to offers'.(Eating & drinking news)(Madisons Coffee)
November 1, 2002... Gareth Lloyd-Jones, chief executive of Madisons Coffee, said he would be prepared to discuss a merger to help end the ferocious competition in the High Street coffee bar market "if the right valuation could be achieved." Speaking as the...

Coffeeheaven plans further Polish expansion, despite losses.(Eating & Drinking News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Coffeeheaven, the UK-based company with nine coffee shops in Poland, is in discussions with institutions and banks in Poland to raise long-term funding for its proposed roll-out of 50 sites throughout the country. The company plans to...

Coffee Republic no longer in merger talks.(Eating & Drinking News)
November 1, 2002... Coffee Republic confirmed that it was no longer in merger talks with any interested parties after the London-based sandwich chain Benjys decided against a bid. However, the coffee chain said: "The board is encouraged by recent trading...

Starbucks expands in China and United States.(Eating & Drinking News)
November 1, 2002... Starbucks has opened its first outlet in Southern China, operated by Coffee Concepts, a Chinese coffee retailer. Starbucks currently has more than 850 outlets in locations across Asia Pacific, including Japan, Singapore, Philippines and...

Aramark wins a really useful theatre contract.(Eating & Drinking News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Aramark, the Philadelphia-based contract catering company, has won the food and beverage services contract to supply the Really Useful Theatres, the London theatre operator co-owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Aramark will manage food and...

Compass linked to Permira for sale.(Eating & Drinking News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Compass is rumoured to be in exclusive negotiations with Permira, the venture capitalist, over the sale of the Little Chef roadside restaurant chain and the budget hotel brand Travelodge. Speculation has put the price offered by Permira,...

Hard Rock for Wales.(Eating & Drinking News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Hard Rock Cafe is to open its first site in Wales next spring, in the Old Brewery Quarter redevelopment in Cardiff. Pete Beaudrault, the company's president, said: iOpening a Hard Rock Cafe in Cardiff is an important part of our aggressive...

Georgica on track for cue sports expansion.(Cinema and Entertainment News)
November 1, 2002... Georgica remains confident in its strategy of rolling out its Rileys cue sports brand to "teens" of sites a year, and has promoted finance director Alastair Mitchell to the position of managing director. The company, which owns 160 cue...

Odeon to raise curtain on premium cinema.(Cinema and Entertainment News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Odeon Cinemas is to test a designer cinema concept aimed at adults when it relaunches its Lothian Road site in Edinburgh next March. Saturation of Edinburgh's cinema market has prompted the market-leading operator to develop the niche...

Operators put stake on social responsibility.(Betting and gaming news)
November 1, 2002... The gambling industry is making good progress in its bid to allay government and public concerns over the social responsibility implications of deregulation, an issue that many in the industry fear could delay the long-awaited reforms. Sir...

Sportingbet profits down, but membership on the rise.(Betting and gaming news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Sportingbet, the internet betting company, has revealed widening losses after being hit by the cost of integrating acquisitions and processing customer funds. The company saw first half pre-tax losses widened to 3.79m [pounds sterling],...

Harpers to fight for casino in Guildford.(Betting and gaming news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Guildford nightclub operator Harpers Leisure International has vowed to continue its fight to develop a casino in the Surrey town, despite government planning inspectors' dismissal of the scheme. The inspectors held up Guildford Borough...

MGM Grand plans 'conservative' casino for Detroit.(Betting and gaming news)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... MGM Grand announced plans to build a $500m casino complex including a 16-storey hotel and five restaurants in Detroit. MGM Grand is one of three casinos in Detroit that hope to strike permanent deals with the city. Gregory Moots of the...

One leisure voice, one leisure vision.(Industry news)(Leisure Society)
November 1, 2002... Plans have been unveiled for an organisation to represent the common interests of all those involved in the UK leisure industry to the government, civil service and the media. The Leisure Society is the brainchild of Philip Deighton, chief...

Bowlplex strikes deal for Sega Derby game in the UK.(Industry news)(Bowlplex)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Bowlplex, the operator of ten ten-pin bowling-based entertainment centres, has struck deal with Sega, the Japanese arcade games giant, to become the first operator in Europe to install high-tech horseracing game Derby Owner's Club. The...

Hospitality firms predict increasing payroll costs.(Industry news)(Restaurant As)
November 1, 2002... Companies throughout the industry are concerned about wage inflation for 2003, a survey by the British Hospitality Association has found. The study of 360 members, shows the majority estimate an increase of between four and six percent in...

Licensing reform timetable appears.(Industry news)(British Beer and Pub Association)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Licensing minister Kim Howells has agreed that all licensed venues in England and Wales should be operating under the new legislative regime expected to be unveiled in this month's Queen's Speech from July 2004. Howells has also told...

Lean times ahead for the fitness market? Tina Milton on how the health club sector is likely to shape up after a loss of appetite among investors.(Analysis--What now for fitness?)
November 1, 2002... The past year has seen the fitness market continuing to fatten up through a feast of openings and new operators. But it now looks like the picnic could be over. Two events have got the whole sector wondering what happens next. First,...

Strong will survive coffee wars, and end up in the black: Dominic Walsh of The Times says consolidation is under way in the over-crowded coffee shop market.(Behind the headlines)
November 1, 2002... The recent travails of some of the upmarket coffee bar operators have been easy meat to the headline writers. All the talk has been of the market "running out of steam" or of share prices "losing their froth" with the odd quip about growth...

Budget brands lead UK hotel growth.(Hotels)
November 1, 2002... Whitbread's Travel Inn is now the UK's largest hotel chain with 290 sites and 16,571 rooms--ahead of the likes of Holiday Inn, Hilton and Best Western on pure numbers, according to figures revealed in Martin Info's new Guide to UK Hotel Brands...

Leisure Report LR Index leisure stockwatch.(Sharewatch)
November 1, 2002... This first Leisure Report LR Index leisure stockwatch reveals that leisure stocks are performing less well than the FTSE 100, which is currently down "just" 23% from its year-high, against an average for the LR Index basket of 35 stocks of a...

Whitbread.(The Inn and Out Club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Whitbread has appointed Neil Riding, currently managing director of TGI Friday's, to succeed John Derkach as managing director of the struggling Beefeater chain. Riding will continue to run TGI Friday's, also owned by Whitbread, until a...

Scottish and Newcastle.(The Inn and Out Club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Scottish and Newcastle has appointed John Dunsmore to hold the position of chairman and managing director at Scottish Courage from Monday. Dunsmore replaces Graham Kendrick, who is leaving the company after 26 years.

Rod Kent, currently managing director of Close Brothers.(The Inn and Out Club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Rod Kent, currently managing director of Close Brothers, the UK's largest independent quoted merchant ban is to join the board of Whitbread as a non-executive director. He will also become chairman of the Whitbread pension trustees.

Sir Brian Stewart, chairman of Scottish & Newcastle.(The Inn and Out Club)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Sir Brian Stewart, chairman of Scottish & Newcastle, has seen his annual pay package rise from 703,000 [pounds sterling] to 869,000 [pounds sterling].