Skipton Building Society has acquired a majority stake in Private Health Partnership, the Otley-based private health insurance broker, for £3.4m.... [more]

Alsford Timber has acquired Flint Timber, the Sussex-based timber merchant, for undisclosed terms.... [more]

Penna Consulting has acquired Nethouse Trading and its subsidiary The Resourcing Centre for about £0.5m, in order to expand its recruitment outsourcing business.... [more]

Lincat has acquired Britannia Kitchen Ventilation, the Warwickshire-based manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation canopies, for up to £1.4m.... [more]

Kingfisher is to sell its prime retail parks worth £500m. The 15 parks and 5 development sites held by Chartwell Land have a rental income of £29m. Kingfisher plans to focus on DIY, which may also lea... [more]

Riverdeep, the Irish educational software company, has been approached with a possible bid. Schroders Salomon Smith Barney are advising the company, which is valued at around £165m. ... [more]

Old Mutual, the financial services group based in South Africa is selling off its small London-based bond broker, King & Shaxson.... [more]

Chorion, the intellectual services company, has a number of bidders vying for its children's division. Evolution Beeson Gregory is advising on the sale and potential bidders include Carlton, Granada. ... [more]

Magnet Harlequin, the Uxbridge-based printing company, has undergone a management buy-out.... [more]

Secure Trust Banking is to acquire Old Mutual Securities, the provider of institutional stockbroking and corporate finance services, for up to £12m.... [more]

Arla Foods has acquired HT Webb, the speciality cheese supplier, for undisclosed terms.... [more]

It has been commented that The Big Food Group may consider closing down Iceland, its struggling supermarket chain. It is thought that rivals such as Tesco and Sainsburys may be interested in the 700 b... [more]

A number of bidders are eyeing the troubled babywear retailer Mothercare, but it is understood that formal hostile approaches are unlikely before Christmas.... [more]

Fenmarc, the Cambridgeshire-based vegetable processing company with 500 staff, has undergone a management buy-out backed by 3i.... [more]

Aggregate Industries has announced the £12m acquisition of five businesses - GFX Hartigan in the Midlands, Border Stone of Powys, Central Coated Stone of Nottinghamshire, Francis Flower and a 50% stak... [more]

SIG has acquired Kesteven Roofing Centre, the roofing distributor with 3 branches in Yorkshire and Humberside.... [more]

Boston Matthews has acquired Munchy, the manufacturer of extrusion equipment, and production is being relocated from Wallingford to the Boston Matthews site in Worcester.... [more]

First Great Western is to merge with Thames Trains and Wessex Trains, creating a new Greater Western rail franchise, as part of the Strategic Rail Authority's plan to have a single operator at each ma... [more]

John Laing has sold its Holloway White Allom building restoration division to a management team for £5m.... [more]

Arrow Group, the Hull-based industrial doors group, has undergone a £5m management buy-out backed by Northern Venture Managers.... [more]