David Lloyd, chief executive of fitness chain Next Generation, believes the business could be sold by early March. Lloyd said that he expected the auction to be popular with real-estate firms, private-equity houses and trade bidders and that bidding would be 'aggressive'. Lloyd also said that Whitbread-owned David Lloyd Leisure (a separate business) could make an approach for Next Generation. Rival Esporta is to team up with a property company to make an offer in the region of £150m (EUR 218m). Duke Street Capital and HBOS are backing the deal with Citigroup as adviser. UBS is advising Next Generation. The group is to send out a memorandum of information shortly.