The Financial Times
Old Monk, which last week sold eight pubs and a London bar in order to cut debt, is to go into administration. Read more on thePublican.com...
The Sunday Times
Plans to allow Las Vegas style casino complexes to be built in Britain have been shelved by the government. Government insiders insist that the bill has been shelved temporarily because there was too little time for it.
The Observer
Luke Johnson, the chairman of Signature Group who last week launched a management buyout for the restaurant group, is likely to face a counter-bid from the A-Z restaurant chain. Richard Wachman, writing in The Observer, says that the battle promises to be poisonous as Giuliano Lotto is fuming after chairman Johnson spear-headed an attempt last week to seize control of Signature. Johnson's bid for Signature is backed by the management and supported by 20 per cent of the shareholders.
The Mail on Sunday
London & Regional Properties is thought to be the front-runner for the sale-and-leaseback of part of the estate of the Laurel Pub Company. Other bidders are thought to include property firms Rotch and Topland and a Royal Bank of Scotland-backed investor, who between them have offered bids of between £280m and £320m.
Six Continents is under fire from shareholders after rejecting a merger with a rival hotel operator.
The Independent on Sunday
Aberdeen Steak Houses, which called in receivers last week, has attracted interest from a venture capitalist with a new management team to take over the chain.