LONDON (AFX) - Whitbread PLC, the leisure group behind the David Lloyd and Brewers Fayre brands, has emerged as the frontrunner to buy Next Generation, owner of the exclusive Harbour Club, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported, citing sources familiar with the situation.
Final bids for the company are due on Tuesday, and sources believe they could top 210 mln stg.
Whitbread's rival bidders are thought to include Esporta, Clerkenwell Ventures and the property entrepreneur Robert Tchenguiz's R20 investment vehicle, the newspaper said. monicca.egoy@afxnews.com mbe/hjp COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited