Dickson killed in boating accident

A former chairman and managing director of the Yates Group, Peter Dickson, has been killed in a swimming accident in the West Indies.

Dickson, 52, died after being struck by a speed boat off the Barbados coast over the New Year holiday.

He was the great grandson of Peter Yates, who founded Yates's Wine Lodges in 1884, and the last family member to work for the company.

Dickson resigned as chairman in July 2001, three years before Yates was sold to private equity group GI Partners for £93m. It is now operated by Laurel.

He joined the board of the family business in 1982, working mainly on the property side until becoming managing director in the mid-1990s.

Under Dickson's stewardship, Yates began an ambitious expansion from its north-west heartland into new trading areas notably the Home Counties and London suburbs. It also developed new concepts such as traditional inns and the food-led Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteens.

He stood down in July 2001 after a difficult trading period ended with the collapse of take-over talks.

Former Yates chief executive Mark Jones described Dickson as a popular figure who would be sadly missed.

Dickson lived with his wife Davina and two grown-up sons in Goosnargh near Preston, Lancashire.