Board

2012

Business Outlook

Leisure Transactions 2011

Date

Vendor

Purchaser

Deal

Paul Dumbell and Brian Green of KPMG, joint administrators of Simpson Leisure Limited

Acquisition of the Old Hall Health Club & Spa near Knutsford, Cheshire for an undisclosed sum. Acquisition of three new sites in Leeds, Bristol and Kingston upon Thames by the low-cost fitness operator. Acquisition of the Pontin’s holiday park operator and its five holiday parks in North Wales, Somerset; Suffolk, Merseyside and West Sussex.

January

Will Banks

January Various

The Gym

Jane Moriarty, David Costley-Wood and Rob Croxen of KPMG, joint administrators of Pontins

January

Britannia Hotel Group

Acquisition of seven European leisure attractions, including the Pleasurewood Hills amusement park near Lowestoft in Suffolk.

February Compagnie des Alpes

H.I.G. Capital France

Spirit of 1873 Ltd, a group backed by Yorkshire businessman Andrew Glover

O'Hara's, the administrators of Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club Limited

Acquisition of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (Wakefield Trinity RLFC).

February

Bennett Verby LLP, liquidator of Blackpool Bowl

February

Garland Leisure

Acquisition of the Blackpool Bowl ten-pin bowling venue.

Acquisition of tenpin bowling venues in Aldershot and Wolverhampton – one of which was acquired from private operators whilst the other was secured on a 25-year lease. Acquisition of the 650-capacity Spirit nightclub in Manchester’s Canal Street.

February Private operators

Garland Leisure

Begbies Traynor, administrators of Cougar Leisure

March

The G-A-Y Group

April

Virgin Active

easyGym

Acquisition of two sites in Slough and Wood Green.

April

Bannatyne Group

Fitness4Less

Acquisition of a site in Cheltenham by low-cost health club operator.

April

Railtrack

Fitness4Less

Acquisition of a health club site in Southwark, London.

Acquisition of Lakeside Superbowl – a tenpin bowling venue in Stirchley, Birmingham. Acquisition of more than 85 per cent of Glasgow Rangers Football Club for £1. Wavetower was to make £5m available for investment in the playing squad and also pledged to provide funding towards the infrastructure of the stadium. Acquisition of the leasehold Brannigans bar in Blackpool for ongoing bar/ nightclub use.

April

Newbury Leisure

Garland Leisure

May

Sir David Murray

Wavetower

Begbies Traynor, administrators of Cougar Leisure Begbies Traynor, administrators of Cougar Leisure

May

Windmill Properties

Acquisition of the leasehold former Mood nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne.

May

Activ Leisure

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