Armstrong Watson is to merge with Manson & Partners, the Dumfries-based firm of chartered accountants with 35 staff.... [more]

Holmes Place, the chain of 46 gyms, is to be acquired by Virgin Active for undisclosed terms, creating a combined group of 174 sites.... [more]

Easco has expanded its metals recycling business with the acquisition of Essex-based SB Wheeler & Sons for £15m and Norwich-based Peruzzi's Metals for undisclosed terms.... [more]

Independent Pharmacy Care Centres has acquired seven AC Ferguson and MH Gill pharmacies in the West Midlands, taking its number of outlets to 34.... [more]

Menzies Corporate Restructuring has sold the Pims printing plant in Somerset out of administration, and the business will be combined with London-based Garden House Press.... [more]

Enterprise Inns has sold 769 of its smaller pubs to Admiral Taverns for £316m, taking the Admiral chain to 1,825 outlets.... [more]

Swinton has acquired the Budget Group's high street insurance intermediary business, taking its nationwide branch network to 442.... [more]

Camellia is planning to acquire Hill Martin, the financial planning company, for an initial £4.2m, in order to expand its Duncan Lawrie subsidiary.... [more]

Wake Smith has merged with Benson Clegg Solicitors, creating a combined Sheffield-based legal firm with more than 180 staff.... [more]

Mitchell Charlesworth has merged with Tollit & Stockton of Chester to create a combined accountancy business with more than 130 staff.... [more]

Maybin has acquired Grove Services Group for undisclosed terms, adding 2,300 staff to its existing 4,200-strong workforce in Northern Ireland and the Republic.... [more]

Accuma is to expand its personal debt advice business with the acquisition of Byrom & Keeley Financial Services for £5.8m and Loan Line for £10m.... [more]

ADDleisure is to acquire a 90% stake in the In Moments company, in order to expand its fitness equipment business into high street fitness centres.... [more]

GAP Group has acquired J&S Plant of Lincoln for £1.3m, taking its plant hire network to 56 sites. Gap will pay £550k for equity, £350k for goodwill and will assume £450k of debt. J&S Plant is the plan... [more]

NTR has acquired Wastelink and RU Recycling for undisclosed terms, in order to create the UK's largest recycling-led waste management business.... [more]

Leeds Building Society has won approval to merge with Mercantile, the Wallsend-based building society with 12 branches.... [more]

Deans Foods is to merge with Stonegate to create a combined egg supply group called Noble Foods.... [more]

Candover Partners is to acquire DX Services for £349m, and will merge it with Secure Mail Services to create a combined mail delivery business with 1,840 staff. The offer consists of 415p a share and ... [more]

Brodies is to merge with Bishops Solicitors of Glasgow, creating a combined legal firm with more than 360 staff.... [more]

Valpak has acquired the Waste Management Group's waste plastics sorting site in Preston, in order to expand its Valient Recycling operation.... [more]