What the Sunday papers said
The Business
SCOTTISH & Newcastle is in talks with the Royal Bank of Scotland to sell up to 1,000 of its 1,500 pubs. Earlier this year S&N was in talks to merge its managed house business with Six Continents. But the deal collapsed and the seventh largest brewer in the world favours selling to a financial rather than trade buyer.
The Express
ONES to watch: The anniversary of September 11 has added concerns over the pace of recovery at Six Continents' hotel business. Sceptics believe the company was weighed down by heavy spending commitments, sluggish growth in its pubs division and relatively poor hotel revenue and prospects. A disposal of the pubs and a return of cash to shareholders, rather than risking overpaying on a hotel acquisition could boost 6C, but the shares, at 577p, should not be checked into now.
The Observer
EASY Group is examining sites owned by Whitbread as an alternative to the Coffee Republic estate it still hopes to acquire to boost its Easy Internet Cafe chain. It is interested in 16 Costa Coffee outlets that Whitbread wants to offload.
The Sunday Times
ALTHOUGH underperformance and profit warnings have punctuated the last four years at City Centre Restaurants the company has worked hard to turn things round. It's relatively modest-priced venues, which include Garfunkel's and Chiquito, are well positioned to for a consumer downturn. Executives are confident and last week took the opportunity to buy shares.
CADBURY Schweppes, the confectionary and soft drinks giant, is ready to commit up to £3bn in a joint bid with Nestle for Hershey, the £6 billion American chocolate group.
RONALD McDonald - the smiling face of McDonald's - may be about to hang up his outsized shoes. The fast-food giant is weighing up plans to put Ronald out to pasture as it fights slowing sales.
The Sunday Telegraph
LAST week Ask Central revealed a 28 per cent rise in half-year profits from £5.9m to £7.6m, on sales up 25 per cent at £45.1m. The company opened 11 new outlets, taking restaurant numbers to 140. While it may struggle to grow 30 per cent each year, the shares still have some way to go. Buy at 162.5p.
The Mail on Sunday
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