News: 2012 - written by Hanna Sharpe

Two law firms are in discussions about a merger, which would create the second biggest law firm in the Midlands. [more]

B3 Industries Ltd has entered administration, with Colin Haig, Paul Flint and Allan Graham from KPMG appointed to oversee the restructuring of the group. The firm was the parent company of the Manchester-based B3 Cables site, Tri-W [more]

FirstGroup has decided to sell off another chunk of its underperforming UK bus operations due to the effects of public spending cuts and increasing fuel costs. [more]

About half of the Royal Mail's London sorting office is due to be sold off in order to generate fu [more]

Ascot Environmental is to be closed down after filing a notice to enter administration. The move will leave 56 staff at the environmental engineering firm with unpaid wages. [more]

The owners of luxury country house hotel Bovey Castle, situated in Dartmoor National Park in Devon, have hoisted up a for sale sign with a price tag of £17.5 mil [more]

The owner of the Quaglino’s restaurant D&D has placed 30 of its restaurants on the market to generate cash for expansion in [more]

Leisure Pass Group has been purchased by its CEO Darran Evans in a management buy-out deal, backed by Primary Capital. [more]

Lola Cars is set to enter administration after announcing its intention to appoint administrators, due to the economic downturn. [more]

It has been suggested that Cardiff Airport could be for sale before long if it fails to organise its affairs and set itself up for a more profitable future. [more]

Casino firm London Clubs International (LCI) has been put up for sale with a price tag of up to £160 mil [more]

The takeover of Rouse Readimix by Breedon Aggregates in 2011 has given a new lease of life to the ready-mixed concrete business. [more]

Thomas Cook has issued a warning to its shareholders that if its planned disposals are not approved it may risk administration. [more]

Furniture retailer Clement Joscelyne has been placed into administration, with administrators appointed to sell the business as a going concern. After experiencing a drop in trading over recent months the directors called in FRP Advisory [more]

British luxury fashion brand Aquascutum has been bought by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed YGM Trading. [more]

Bolton-based healthcare software provider Ascribe has brought in US investment bank William Blair & Company to act as adviser on a potential s [more]

Zolfo Cooper has been brought in as the administrator to stricken Clinton Cards, and is to search for a new owner. It is expected that about half of the retailer's stores will be closed down in the administration pro [more]

Troubled retailer Clinton Cards is to be pushed into administration today by its biggest supplier American Greetings. The firm’s banks Barclays and RBS had sold £35 million of Clinton Card’s l [more]

Less than two weeks after entering administration, Devon firm Launahurst Ltd has been rescued by Bristol-based Britannia Windows. Windows, conservatories and door maker Launahurst, which is known as Launa Windows, lost 60 of its 70 of its staff to redunda [more]

Independent Contractor Security has rescued Sekure Europe Ltd out of administration, after it was hit by cashflow problems earlier this year. [more]