Leisure Report articles from November 2007

Leisure Report archives from November 2007

BISL calls for more PFI funds.(Business In Sport and Leisure)
November 1, 2007... Business In Sport and Leisure (BISL), the umbrella organisation for the sport, leisure and hospitality industry has published its paper on 'Activating the Market--The Contribution of Leisure PFI and PPP to Driving and Sustaining an Increase in...

Leisure sector driving UK M&A activity.
November 1, 2007... The hotel and leisure sector was a steady driver of overall UK M&A activity in the first half of 2007, a new study by PKF Accountants & business advisers has shown. Over the last three years, the UK leisure sector has increased from 20 deals a...

I'm a gym member--get me out of here.(Inside track)
November 1, 2007... Ray Algar's article this month, in which he looks at what consumers are saying online about the leading health and fitness operators, got me thinking, and doing some empirical research of my own. I'll be honest, I rarely see the inside of a...

Sportingbet sees core performance rise as it recovers from UIGEA.(News: Breaking News)
November 1, 2007... Sportingbet, the online sports betting and gaming group, posted a full-year loss, but said that since the disposal of its US facing arm, its core business was performing well. Announcing its audited results for the year ended 31 July 2007,...

Leisure workers see 95% less smoke since ban.(News: Breaking News)
November 1, 2007... Staff working in pubs, bars and restaurants have experienced a 95% fall in exposure to second-hand smoke since the introduction of the smoking ban, according to the latest research. The study led by the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre...

Betex shares cease trading on AIM.(News: Breaking News)(Betex Group)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Betex Group, the troubled gaming firm, said its shares are to de-list from AIM. The firm said it still has a viable business proposition and its core investments in China continue to perform in line with expectations. The company said it is...

Tote's future still undecided.(News: Breaking News)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The future of the Tote still remains undecided, after British bookmakers warned they could mount a legal challenge if the government agrees to sell the organisation to the racing industry "on the cheap". The consortium bidding for the...

Odeon UCI in 3D cinema push.(News: Breaking News)
November 1, 2007... In its largest international distribution partnership to date, Real D, the global leader in digital 3D cinema, has finalised an agreement with Odeon and UCI, the largest pan-European cinema exhibitor with more than 1,600 screens, to install up...

Aspinalls and Kerzner in jv.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Gaming tycoon Sol Kerzner is to team up with casino operator Aspinalls to open a casino in Northampton. Kerzner acquired the site from London Clubs International in 2003 and was awarded a British casino licence a year later, but the project...

Les A for sale?(Les Ambassadeurs )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The high-rolling London casino Les Ambassadeurs has been put up for sale by Indonesian cigarette billionaire Putera Sampoerna. But the price could be less than the 115m [pounds sterling] he paid 18 months ago when he bought it from London Clubs...

More caravan parks set to change hands.(South Lakeland )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Caravan parks operator South Lakeland has been put up for sale at about 150m [pounds sterling] by private equity firm Legal & General Ventures. Meanwhile Park Resorts has bought an 800-pitch caravan site in Skipsey, Yorkshire, for a sum in...

Center Parks leads leisure firms in Top Track.
November 1, 2007... Center Pares has climbed 16 places The Sunday Times Top Track 250 of private firms from 92nd place to 76th. Cinema chain operator Vue Entertainment is 122nd, while Virgin Active leaps from 216th place to 136th. Gaming and leisure manager...

Snowworld set to list.(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Indoor ski slope centre Snowworld, which operates two centres in the Netherlands, is considering an IPO on the London Stock Exchange in order to raise finance to expand in Europe. It is understood Snowworld is not currently looking to open in...

OFT eyes DLL deal.
November 1, 2007... The UK's Office of Fair Trading has invited comments on the acquisition of David Lloyd Leisure by HBOS. The OFT also said it will consider "whether such a merger will result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets...

Nuffield in Cannons bid?
November 1, 2007... Nuffield Hospitals, one of Britain's biggest private healthcare operators, has emerged as a surprise bidder for the Cannons gym chain, according to The Sunday Times. The not-for-profit organisation has already made a foray into the fitness...

VAT blow for memberships.
November 1, 2007... The Inland Revenue has announced that inclusive health and leisure club memberships are subject to VAT. The ruling follows a court victory for the Revenue over Highland Council. The Revenue said the council should charge VAT on all-inclusive...

Marriott upgrades clubs.
November 1, 2007... Marriott International is updating leisure clubs at four of its Hotel & Country Clubs in the UK at a cost of nearly 2m [pounds sterling], with all work due to be completed by the end of the month. The investment is part of the 120 million...

Personal training franchise model launched by The energie Group.(News: Health & Fitness)
November 1, 2007... The energie Group has unveiled 'energie Personal Fitness', a new franchise product offering personal trainers (PTs) and fitness instructors the opportunity to own and operate their own business whilst benefiting from the support and backing of...

Serco Leisure signs 10-year deal with Legend Systems.(News: Health & Fitness)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Legend Club Management Systems has signed a 10-year contract with Serco Leisure, to provide a complete suite of technical and business management systems. Legend's system enables Serco to capture, analyse and report a wide variety of data,...

Village to undergo 60m [pounds sterling] rebranding.(News: Health & Fitness)
November 1, 2007... The De Vere Group is set to invest 60m [pounds sterling] on redeveloping its Village Hotels brand, with the properties being renamed as Village Hotels with Vibe. The company plans to refurbish its 17 existing Village sites over the next...

Ramada Jarvis expands Coe clubs estate.(News: Health & Fitness)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Ramada Jarvis has officially announced it has expanded its Sebastian Coe Health Club portfolio to 21 with the opening of seven new clubs. The company has launched a "Get Party Fit" scheme in conjunction with the new openings, with which it...

Playgolf narrows interim losses as corporate restructure continues.(Sport News)(Financial report)
November 1, 2007... Reporting interim results for the period to 30 June 2007, Playgolf, the operator and developer of multi-sport facilities in the UK in partnership with local authorities, said it had narrowed its pre-tax losses as the re-focusing of its...

Record profits for Spurs as Uefa Cup run brings benefits.(Sport News)(Financial report)
November 1, 2007... Unveiling financial results for the year ended 30 June 2007, Tottenham Hotspur said it had seen "substantial growth in turnover and operating profit", as it posted record figures. Turnover rose 39% to 103m [pounds sterling] (2006: 74.1m...

Powerleague nets 56% profit rise.(Sport News)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Powerleague, the operator of five-aside football centres in the UK, has reported a 56% increase in pre-tax profit to 5m [pounds sterling] for the year to 30 June 2007. Turnover increased 12% to 23m [pounds sterling], with centre like-for-like...

Bid speculation heats up at Rank Group as bingo turnover collapses.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Financial report)
November 1, 2007... Rank shares plummeted 20%, after a shock profits warning followed a 19% drop in turnover at the group's Mecca Bingo. The collapse in sales was blamed on a combination of the smoking ban and new legislation that forced Rank to remove the vast...

Sportech's Vernons bid cleared.(News: Betting & Gaming)
November 1, 2007... The Competition Commission has cleared Sportech's proposed acquisition of Vernons Football Pools. It said: "Although Littlewoods and Vernons pools provide customers with similar products, we found little evidence that customers have...

Beleagured Ubet2win forced to trade through Betfair system.(News: Betting & Gaming)
November 1, 2007... Ubet2win, the racecourse and online gaming operator, was forced to announce that its unaudited results for the six month period to 30 June 2007 have not been completed under IFRS, and accordingly the trading in the company's shares have been...

Top Ten to fall below expectations.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Top Ten Holdings, the UK's third largest bingo operator, announced that its full-year profits will be below previous market expectations, as its shares were suspended following a delay in publishing its results. The firm said that club...

Liberty Media set to buy the remainder of FUN shares.(News: Betting & Gaming)
November 1, 2007... UK-listed online gaming company Fun Technologies said Liberty Media Corp has agreed to indirectly acquire all the outstanding shares in the company that it does not already own at 175p per share in cash. Liberty currently indirectly owns about...

Robust first half trading results in improved figures for Gaming VC.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Financial report)
November 1, 2007... Gaming VC Holdings, the listed European online gaming operator, saw robust trading over the first half of its financial year, to report an 8.5m [euro] (5.9m [pounds sterling]) pre-tax profit. Announcing interim results for the six months...

Betinternet makes progress post UIGEA.(News: Betting & Gaming)(Financial report)
November 1, 2007... Announcing preliminary results for the year ended 27 May 2007, betinternet.com, the global on-line gaming group, said it had recorded a profit, at ebitda level, of 162,000 [pounds sterling]--reversing an ebitda loss of about 1m [pounds...

Betshop stutters as L&G bid talks come to an end.(News: Betting & Gaming)
November 1, 2007... Leisure & Gaming, the listed UK online gaming operator, said it has released a provision of 6m [euro] for its subsidiary Betshop Group Europe, as the 2007 earn-out target for the business is unlikely to be met. The announcement followed...

Playtech names its new CFO.(News: Betting & Gaming)
November 1, 2007... Playtech, the gaming software firm, has announced the appointment of Guy Moshe Emodi as its new chief financial officer with immediate effect. Emodi, who holds an MBA from London Business School, has more than 18 years experience in...

Savills sees further consolidation as digital drives cinema market.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)
November 1, 2007... The UK cinema market is likely to see a further round of consolidation and expansion, with new technology and improving facilities driving growth, according to the latest research from Savills, the property agents. The report predicts that...

Kempinska wants Jongleurs.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Maria Kempinska, founder of the Jongleurs comedy clubs, is tabling a bid to buy back the business from Regent Inns, the Mail on Sunday reports. She and her husband John Davy say they are ready to pay "tens of millions" for the business which...

Soho Clubs chief executive seeking financial backing for possible MBO.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)
November 1, 2007... Joachim Ritter, chief executive of Soho Clubs and Bars, is seeking private equity funding to back a management buyout of the company, Leisure Report has learnt. Ritter has appointed M&C Ventures to seek backers to enable him to acquire the...

3D to sell 14 nightclubs.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... 3D Entertainment, the nightclub group spun out of Luminar Leisure, has placed 14 nightclubs up for sale. The company said that the leasehold properties, which are mainly trading under the Chicago Rock Cafe and Jumpin Jak brands, had average...

Eclectic looking to triple its nightclub estate.(News: Cinema & Entertainments)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Eclectic Bars, the company owned by Avanti Capital that runs the remnants of the former Po Na Na business, is looking to triple in size, according to managing director Reuben Harley. The company currently runs 14 bars but is looking to grow...

More budget cuts feared at VisitBritain as inbound visitor numbers show further decline.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
November 1, 2007... The tourism industry is deeply concerned that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport may be about to cut core tourism funding to VisitBritain. The Comprehensive Spending Review announcement made in October revealed that there will be an...

Fishers nets farm attractions prize.(News: Tourism & Attractions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Fishers Farm Park near Billingshurst in West Sussex has been awarded the UK Farm Attraction of the Year for 2007, following a complete refurbishment led by Sport & Play. Facilities include extensive indoor and outdoor play areas. Tim...

Continuum discontinues The Oxford Story.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
November 1, 2007... Continuum, the UK visitor attraction operator, has announced that The Oxford Story will close on 28 October, after nearly 20 years of operation, having received two million visitors. The Oxford Story has been a popular attraction in the...

UK cities campaign launched.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
November 1, 2007... VisitBritain has launched a cities campaign to capitalise on the popularity of urban locations, with the leading eight English cities found to have attracted a total of 22.8 million domestic overnight visits in 2006. The 'City Breaks'...

High hotel prices are 'endangering UK tourism'.(News: Tourism & Attractions)
November 1, 2007... Soaring hotel prices in the UK are damaging the tourist industry, according to the Good Hotel Guide. The guide revealed that the average cost of an overnight stay for two people with dinner had reached nearly 200 [pounds sterling], 10...

Harry Ramsden's on menu.
November 1, 2007... Select Services Partner is planning to sell its Harry Ramsden's chain for up to 25m [pounds sterling] because the fish and chip establishments do not fit in with its main operation of running branded food outlets at railway stations and...

Starbucks growth slowing.
November 1, 2007... Growth prospects for Starbucks are slowing down, the Financial Times said. Growth in footfall is tapering off and the coffee chain has had to raise prices to offset higher dairy, rental and staff costs. A recent spate of new store openings has...

McDonald's offers free wi-fi.
November 1, 2007... McDonald's is to offer customers free wireless internet access in its 1,200 UK outlets. The facilities should be in place by the end of the year, and will make the restaurant chain the UK's biggest provider of the service, which is already...

Greggs sees 5.9% rise in Ifls.(like-for-like sales )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Greggs, the high street sandwich chain, has reported a 5.9% rise in like-for-like sales for the 16 weeks to 6 October. The company said that performance was helped by favourable weather in August and September and compares with a disappointing...

Sales fall at Sports Cafe.
November 1, 2007... First-half sales at Sports Cafe, the listed operator of large-scale sports bars, have fallen 16% to 7.8m [pounds sterling], after unseasonably warm weather in April and comparisons against the 2006 football World Cup. The lower sales meant that...

New research shows a gloomy outlook for the eating-out market.(News: Food & Drink)(Industry overview)(Survey)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The outlook for the foodservice market is reported to be gloomy, with 22% of people expected to eat out less in the coming months, according to the latest QuickBite research. The study by the Friary Marketing and Consulting Group (FMCG)...

Calls for food to cost more according to carbon footprint.(News: Food & Drink)
November 1, 2007... The government has called for the price of food and drink to accurately reflect the product's carbon footprint, even if this means an increase in prices. Gareth Thomas, the trade and development minister, told delegates at a Department for...

Gresham backs Pasty firm MBO.(News: Food & Drink)
November 1, 2007... Gresham Private Equity has backed a management buyout of the West Cornwall Pasty Company (WCPCo) in a deal which is thought to value the business at between 30m [pounds sterling] to 40m [pounds sterling]. The private equity firm said that...

Pret sale is now a two-horse race.(News: Food & Drink)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Private equity firms Lion Capital and Bridgepoint Capital are the remaining two bidders in the 450m [pounds sterling] race to acquire Pret a Manger, according to The Independent. FL Group, the Icelandic investment group, is believed to have...

Coffee Republic in Middle East deal.(News: Food & Drink)
November 1, 2007... Coffee Republic has signed a franchise agreement, which will see the brand launched in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. The company has signed an agreement with the Paris Group, the fashion company, to develop its...

Crerar submits plans for St Andrews venue.(News: Property & Development)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Crerar Hotels, the Scottish group, has announced that it has submitted a planning application to develop a new hotel and leisure complex at St Nicholas Park in St Andrews. The company is planning to open a three to four-star 80-room hotel...

Xtreme development for Silvertown Quays.(News: Property & Development)
November 1, 2007... The developers of part of the 1.5bn [pounds sterling] Silvertown Quays mixed use regeneration project have released conceptual images of Venture Xtreme, a surf centre and extreme sports complex, the first project of its kind in the world,...

Hotel groups turn to sports venues to grow.(News: Property & Development)
November 1, 2007... The number of hotel rooms attached to sports stadiums has grown by 13% since 1998 to 1,314 rooms, and is expected to triple over the next nine years, according to a new piece of sector research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). There are...

Green-light for 22m [pounds sterling] Hillingdon complex.(News: Property & Development)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The London Borough of Hillingdon will have the first 50m Olympic-sized pool to be built in West London for over 40 years. The local council is investing 22m [pounds sterling] into the sports and leisure complex, and has finalised additional...

Nightclub fetches 1.6m [pounds sterling].(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Acting on behalf of VIP Leisure, leisure agent Christie+Co, has sold Peterborough nightclub Faith & Fusion to an undisclosed buyer, after seeking offers in the region of 1.6m [pounds sterling] for the freehold. Licensed to 6.00am with capacity...

Alexandra Palace development stalls.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A High Court judge has blocked a planned 55m [pounds sterling] development at Alexandra Palace because of flaws in the consultation process. Mr Justice Sullivan ruled that there had been insufficient time for public consultations and prevented...

Trump trumped by local.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Donald Trump's proposed 1bn [pounds sterling] golf resort in Belmedie, near Aberdeen, is being strongly opposed by a local man who lives in the middle of the proposed development area. Salmon fisherman Mike Forbes has been offered 375,000...

Leisure firms 'lack environmental awareness', according to new study.(News: Industry)
November 1, 2007... Small and medium-sized hospitality businesses are amongst the least aware of their environmental impact, according to a new survey. The research by the environmental guidance website NetRegs.gov.uk found that only 5% of leisure sector...

Mixed-age staffing is route to success.(News: Industry)
November 1, 2007... A quarter of 'older' workers (26%) in the leisure industry believe their younger colleagues teach them skills they previously did not have, according to a study commissioned by Jobcentre Plus, whilst 24% of younger workers believe older workers...

Leisure spend up 55% in 10 years.(News: Industry)
November 1, 2007... Spending on hotels and restaurants has increased by 55% over the last 10 years, despite Britons having less disposable income than a decade ago. Research by uSwitch.com found that disposable household income is currently 17,000 [pounds...

Darling warns of slowdown.(News: Industry)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Chancellor Alistair Darling has warned that economic growth next year would be slower than previously expected. In his first pre-Budget Report, Darling downgraded the growth forecasts of his predecessor Gordon Brown. He said that growth next...

Industry 'must help reform qualifications'.(News: Industry)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... People 1st has called on the hospitality industry to take part in new research aimed at reforming qualifications in the sector. Only 3% of hospitality employees receive a formal qualification, despite the fact that most staff carry out training...

Russia's fitness revolution: David Minton says the new breed of Russian entrepreneur couldn't be less like Roman Abramovich; and they are taking the fitness market by storm.(Insight)
November 1, 2007... This month I've been thinking a lot about Russian women. No, not the tall, blonde Russian, bride, girl, date or wife found on countless websites, but the more well known and successful. There's a saying in Russia that the man is the head but...

Leisure Report Awards--finalists: the nominations have been received and the finalists for this year's Leisure Report Awards have been decided. Now it is over to you, the industry, to decide who wins ...(Insight: LRA 2007)
November 1, 2007... Voting is open at www.leisurereportawards.co.uk until 14 November, and a detailed explanation of each nomination can also be found at the site, in order to help you decide. Anyone can vote, it is a simple process, so if you've been nominated,...

Over 50, forever young: research into the grey market by the Future Foundation reveals a growing economic powerhouse, with plenty of time, money--and desire--to enjoy themselves.(Insight: 'Grey' market)
November 1, 2007... Over the last few years we have all been encouraged to look at the "grey" market, to embrace the "silver surfer", and yet we still seem reluctant to do so. The leisure sector is a key area for this group; it has more leisure time and shows...

Start the digital dialogue: Ray Algar and Jon Moody, take an in-depth look at online sentiment in the UK health & fitness sector, which reveals a surprising range of opinions, not all of which are negative.(Insight: Managing online sentiment)
November 1, 2007... When Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web at CERN in Switzerland in 1991, we wonder if he envisioned a future where consumers would harness its coalescent power to bargain down the price of virtually everything, and allow the anatomy of...

Virtues of a virtual world: with nine million users, businesses are alive to the branding and fiscal opportunities virtual world Second Life presents.(Insight: Virtual business models)
November 1, 2007... How can you can attend a Hare Krishna class, go for coffee at a jazz lounge or attend a full-scale symphony, courtesy of The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, all without having to tear your eyes away from your computer screen? With virtual worlds...

More spoils for toil: employment relations minister Pat McFadden looks at the government's stance on employment rights and their enforcement in the light of the new minimum wage increases.(Insight: National Minimum Wage)
November 1, 2007... There is no doubt that the UK's economy today is stronger, fairer and more competitive than it was 10 years ago. There are over 600,000 new businesses. Investment is up. More people than ever have a job and those people all have more...

Does Rank need an outsider? Dominic Walsh says pressure is mounting on Ian Burke in the wake of Rank's recent profit warning, but is he responsible for the firm's streak of bad luck?(Insight: Behind the Headlines)
November 1, 2007... They say the bookmaker always wins. Unfortunately for Rank, bookmaking accounts for just a tiny proportion of its business, and the harsh reality is that the bingo and casino operator is now suffering one of the longest losing streaks in...

David Harding, for the past seven years chief executive of William Hill.(People on the move)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... David Harding, for the past seven years chief executive of William Hill, has left the company three months earlier than planned. Harding, who had initially said he would leave at the end of the year, decided it was the right time to go...

Probability.(Probability to appoint Glenn Elliott)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Probability, the AIM-quoted UK focused mobile phone gambling specialist, has appointed Glenn Elliott as chief operating officer with immediate effect, strengthening the management team at Probability at a time when the company has been...

Coffee Republic.(People on the move)
November 1, 2007... Coffee Republic, the coffee and dell bar operator, has announced the appointment of James Cameron Muirhead as its new finance director with effect from 21 September. Muirhead, who is expected to be admitted to the company's board by Christmas,...

Dalesauna.(Dalesauna to appoint Dean Edwards)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Dalesauna has appointed Dean Edwards to the position of southern sales manager. Edwards, who joined the company at the beginning of September, previously spent two and half years as a sales designer in the luxury bathroom market, before gaining...

De Vere Group.(People on the move)(De Vere Group to appoint Niels Sherry and Pauline Houston)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... De Vere Group has appointed Niels Sherry, the former executive vice-president of operations at Morgans Hotel Group, as the new chief operating officer of its Deluxe brand. Sherry will head up a new team charged with repositioning the Deluxe...

Promote PR.(Promote PR to appoint Vicky Kiernander and Laura Kettle)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Promote PR has appointed Vicky Kiernander and Laura Kettle to its team. Kiernander has been recruited to the position of senior account manager after seven years at The Leisure Media Company, where she was the managing editor of Health...

Luminar.(David Haimes fo Luminar Leisure to resign and Steve Thomas to be appointed)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Luminar, Britain's biggest nightclub group, has parted company with operations director David Haimes. A source close to the company said that Haimes' departure from the operator of Liquid, Oceana and Lava & Ignite had been amicable. It is...

Fishworks.(People on the move)
November 1, 2007... Fishworks, the fishmonger and restaurant chain, has announced that Paul Goodale, its current chief operating officer, is to replace Mitch Tonks as chief executive. Tonks, who founded the group and became its chief executive in March last year,...

Roadchef.(People on the move)
November 1, 2007... Roadchef, the motorway service station operator, has announced the appointment of Simon Turl, former managing director of Travelodge, as its new chief executive. Turl, who will take up his new role on 1 November, replaces Richard Hunt, who...

Ubet2win.(People on the move)
November 1, 2007... The board of Ubet2win announced that Renwick Haddow has resigned as a non-executive director with immediate effect. The firm said it extends its best wishes to him for the future.

Celtic.(Celtic Football Club to appoint Ian Livingston as executive director)(Brian Quinn to retitre)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Celtic, the listed Scottish football club, announced that Ian Livingston, currently an executive director on the board of BT Group, will take up the position of non-executive director, and will become a member of the company's Audit Committee,...

Pizza Hut.(People on the move)
November 1, 2007... Pizza Hut has named Brain Niccol as its new chief marketing officer. Niccol, who was most recently vice president of national brand marketing and strategy for the 11,000-strong chain, takes over from Bill Ogle, who left Pizza Hut to become...