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Leisure - 2005
The National Railway Museum has secured a £1m lottery grant to go towards the development of a £3.5m public gallery to display its archive of photographs and documents.
30-Dec-2005
Hilton is to sell its 400 international hotels to Hilton Hotels Corporation of the US for £3.3bn, in order to focus on its Ladbrokes betting division.
29-Dec-2005
Top Ten is to acquire Apollo Bingo, the operator of bingo clubs in Rhyl, Caernarfon and Blackpool, for £11m, taking its total estate to 41.
28-Dec-2005
CHE Hotel Group has raised £19m in a share placing to fund the development of Sleep Inn hotels across the country, and 60 possible locations have been identified.
27-Dec-2005
The Countryside Council for Wales is to set up a new £3m visitor's centre at the 438-hectare Newport wetlands site in 2007.
27-Dec-2005
Croydon Council is to consider plans from Westmead Business Group and US-based Century Casinos for the development of a 16,000 sq ft casino at the Aerodrome Hotel in Purley Way.
22-Dec-2005
Buckingham Bingo, the Manchester-based operator of ten bingo halls, is to be acquired by Alchemy Partners for £90m.
22-Dec-2005
Calderdale Council has secured a £4m lottery grant to fund the refurbishment of the 90-acre Shibden Park in Halifax.
22-Dec-2005
Carlisle City Council is looking to raise £14m for the revamp of the Tullie House Museum, including refurbished art galleries and a new history of Carlisle exhibition.
21-Dec-2005
Center Parcs is planning to open a leisure complex at the Jardins de la Mer development on Jersey, including 90 beachfront residential apartments and 70 leisure apartments.
21-Dec-2005
Euro Hostels is looking to open budget hotels in Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds and Liverpool.
20-Dec-2005
Gleneagles is hoping to start work next year on the £100m expansion of its Perthshire hotel complex from 850 to 1,450 acres, including a luxury spa and a village of holiday homes.
20-Dec-2005
Nottingham City Council is considering plans for the development of a £5.8m arts centre in Hyson Green.
20-Dec-2005
Inventive Leisure, the owner of Revolution vodka bars, is to be acquired by Alchemy Partners for £42m.
20-Dec-2005
Punch Taverns has sold 205 pubs to Petchey Group for £98m, leaving it with an estate of 9,500 outlets.
20-Dec-2005
Gymbox has raised £3.2m from Hotbed and HSBC to fund the development of three new fitness clubs.
19-Dec-2005
Advantage West Midlands and the Heritage Lottery Fund are to help fund the development of a £10m Wedgwood pottery museum at Barlaston near Stoke-on-Trent by 2007.
16-Dec-2005
North Tyneside Council has announced plans for the £60m revamp of the Whitley Bay seaside resort by 2010, including a hotel, new homes and a refurbished leisure pool.
16-Dec-2005
Luton Borough Council has announced plans to build a National Centre for Carnival Arts in St Mary's Street by 2007, and £6.2m has already been raised.
16-Dec-2005
Cyberdyne Entertainment, the Bristol-based online betting company, has been acquired by DM for an initial £0.2m.
15-Dec-2005
La Tasca is planning to open a further eight restaurants over the next six months, and is also launching a new Sam & Maxie's brand of family bar and grill outlets.
14-Dec-2005
William Hill is to sell a further 48 betting shops to Tote for £20m, taking Tote's total estate to more than 500.
13-Dec-2005
Ultimate Leisure has acquired Prohibition, the operator of three bars in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, from Living Ventures for £2.7m.
12-Dec-2005
Arts Council of Wales is to award a £3.1m grant to go towards the development of a £4.3m craft centre in Ruthin.
12-Dec-2005
Furlong Hotels, the chain of three country hotels in Bath, Warwickshire and the Cotswolds, has been acquired by Dawnay Shore Hotels for £41m.
12-Dec-2005
Hilton International is looking to open five new golf and spa complexes in Scotland and Ireland over the next three years, and also wants to reintroduce the Scandic hotel brand on at least 50 properties.
09-Dec-2005
Yotel is to open its first two budget hotels at Heathrow and Gatwick in 2006, and is co-operating with BAA on a global expansion plan.
09-Dec-2005
First Choice is to acquire Grand Expeditions, the US-based leisure travel group, from North Castle Partners for £54m, as well as US adventure travel company INTRAV for £37m.
09-Dec-2005
Vale Royal Borough Council has approved plans for the development of a £8m leisure complex at The Drumber in Winsford, in order to replace Winsford Civic Hall, the Dingle Centre and Winsford Sports Complex.
08-Dec-2005
Macdonald Hotels is to acquire Edinburgh's Holyrood Hotel and the Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Country Club near Peebles for £34m, and £4m will be invested at the two sites.
07-Dec-2005
Lafarge is planning to develop an ecological leisure complex at the former Magheramorne quarry in Northern Ireland, and proposals include a mountain biking centre, a museum, a heritage steam railway and up to 450 eco-friendly houses.
07-Dec-2005
Spirit Group, the chain of 1,832 pubs, is to be acquired by Punch Taverns for £2.7bn, while Punch has announced the sale of 203 pubs to Admiral Taverns for £40m.
02-Dec-2005
Travelzest is to acquire Best of Morocco, the tour operator specialising in tailor-made holidays to Morocco, for £2.7m.
02-Dec-2005
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is planning to build a £35m visitor attraction on the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow, including a covered rainforest environment with endangered animals.
01-Dec-2005
Nottingham Rugby Club is to relocate to the Lady Bay Sports Complex in West Bridgford at the end of the season.
01-Dec-2005
Newcastle City Council has awarded a £4.2m contract to Rok to refurbish and extend the Waygood Art Gallery.
01-Dec-2005
Rentokil Initial is to sell Initial Style Conferences, the operator of 29 training and conference venues, to Alternative Hotel Group for £325m.
30-Nov-2005
Ultimate Leisure, the bar and night club operator, is to open two more Blubambu sites in Derby and Northampton this month, and aims to refurbish 13 existing sites during the current financial year.
30-Nov-2005
North Lincolnshire Council is to consider plans for the development of a new £4m leisure centre in Barton, including a swimming pool, dance studio and fitness suite.
30-Nov-2005
Spirit Group has sold ten large London pubs to Capital Pub Company for £31m.
29-Nov-2005
The East of England Development Agency is to award a £0.7m grant to go towards the development of a £3m visitor centre at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire.
28-Nov-2005
Highland Council is expected to work with local businesses and development agencies on proposals for the multi-million pound transformation of Wick's waterfront, including a five-star hotel, a marina and a water sports centre.
28-Nov-2005
Morethanhotels has acquired Foremost Hotels, the operator of three Express by Holiday Inn hotels, for undisclosed terms.
28-Nov-2005
Clapham House is planning to expand its chain of 27 restaurants by opening a further 15 in the year to March 2007 and 20 the following year.
28-Nov-2005
Exeter City Council has approved plans from Macdonald Hotels for the £6m expansion of the Southgate Hotel in Southernhay.
25-Nov-2005
Glasgow City Council has approved plans from Blythswood Developments for the development of a 140-bedroom five-star hotel at the former Royal Scottish Automobile Club in Blythswood Square.
25-Nov-2005
Sport England is to invest a further £75m of lottery money in the grassroots development of sport across the country, including £46m for the nine regional sports boards.
24-Nov-2005
Travelodge is considering plans to close its hotel reservations call centre in Dudley with the loss of up to 170 jobs, and 40 back-office staff are expected to relocate to its head office in Thame.
24-Nov-2005
Enterprise Inns is looking to sell up to 1,000 pubs for commercial or housing redevelopment over the next five years.
23-Nov-2005
Bank Restaurant Group is to acquire five Zinc restaurants from Conran Holdings for about £4m, and is now seeking a more substantial acquisition.
21-Nov-2005
Marylebone Warwick Balfour is to sell a five-star hotel on Glasgow's Argyle Street to WG Mitchell Group for £52m.
21-Nov-2005
Merseyside Fire Service is considering plans to set up a £8m Fireworld fun park at its Bootle headquarters, in order to teach children the dangers of fire.
18-Nov-2005
Vale Royal Borough Council is to consider plans for the development of a multi-million-pound equestrian and polo centre in Oakmere.
17-Nov-2005
Reading Borough Council is to seek £25m of lottery funding to build a riverside theatre and arts venue to replace the Hexagon.
11-Nov-2005
Capita Group has acquired Lonsdale Travel, the Derby-based travel management company with 220 staff, for £10m.
10-Nov-2005
Gourmet Holdings is to raise £5.2m in a share placing to fund the expansion of its Richoux and Bel and the Dragon restaurant chains.
10-Nov-2005
Vue Entertainment is in negotiations to set up a multiplex cinema at the Land Securities Summerland Gate development in Exeter.
10-Nov-2005
Top Ten is seeking acquisitions to expand its chain of bingo clubs from 38 to about 100.
10-Nov-2005
Talarius has acquired Blackheath Leisure, the London-based chain of 24 gaming centres, for £19m.
09-Nov-2005
London Clubs International has secured a licence to set up a 40,000 sq ft casino and restaurant complex in London's Leicester Square by the end of 2006.
08-Nov-2005
Castle Leisure is to expand its Stirling-based chain of nine pubs and nightclubs across Scotland, having agreed a £13m finance deal with HBOS.
07-Nov-2005
The National Railway Museum in York is seeking permission to build a 60m-high observation wheel in the style of the London Eye.
04-Nov-2005
Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council is seeking a contractor to build a £20m entertainment venue in Frankwell, including an auditorium, dance studio and studio theatre.
02-Nov-2005
Chester Zoo has unveiled plans for a £100m expansion project that could see the 110-acre attraction treble in size.
31-Oct-2005
Pizza Hut is to create about 270 jobs in the North West by opening restaurants in Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Lancaster, Leyland and Manchester.
31-Oct-2005
Brighton & Hove Albion has secured government permission to build a new 23,000-capacity football stadium at Falmer.
31-Oct-2005
SECC has unveiled plans to build a £62m Scottish national arena next to the Clyde in Glasgow by 2009, including 12,500 seats.
28-Oct-2005
Dairyland is planning to build a new £3.5m hotel and holiday cottages complex at its fun park near Newquay.
26-Oct-2005
Ebookers, the online travel agency, is to set up a 39,000 sq ft office at 140 Aldersgate Street, London.
24-Oct-2005
The London Development Agency is looking to build a £300m conference centre in the West End, including an auditorium capacity of up to 5,000, and hopes to secure 50% of the funding from hotel groups and other businesses.
24-Oct-2005
Grimsby Town is to submit plans to build a new 12,000-capacity football stadium at Great Coates.
21-Oct-2005
Northacre and Minerva are to acquire the Odeon cinema on London's High Street Kensington for £24m, where they plan to develop a new multi-screen cinema and apartments.
19-Oct-2005
The RSPB and the Teesside Environmental Trust are to set up a £4.1m urban wetland nature reserve on 1,000 acres of industrial wasteland in the Tees Valley, which could attract up to 100,000 visitors a year by 2008.
19-Oct-2005
Sporting Index, the spread betting company, has been acquired by private equity firm HgCapital for £76m.
19-Oct-2005
Loch Fyne Restaurants, the chain of 25 seafood restaurants and five Le Petit Blancs, has undergone a management buy-out for £22m.
18-Oct-2005
North East Lincolnshire Council is to consider plans for the development of a £2m 10,000-seater outdoor arena in Cleethorpes, as part of a £5m revamp of the town's visitor attractions.
18-Oct-2005
Stanley Leisure has sold its Stanley Entertainment online casino business to Leisure & Gaming for £1.9m.
17-Oct-2005
Liverpool City Council is considering plans to build a five-star spa hotel at Oxford Gardens, in preparation for the 2008 Open golf championship at Royal Birkdale.
17-Oct-2005
Lyceum Group has sold three bars at Liverpool's Albert Dock to Lancashire-based JI Entertainment, in a deal estimated at more than £3m.
13-Oct-2005
Terra Firma is to sell 11 cinemas to Cinema Holdings of Ireland for about £60m.
13-Oct-2005
The Savoy Theatre in London has been acquired by the Ambassador Theatre Group and three impresarios for about £7m.
13-Oct-2005
The Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast is planning a £4.8m refurbishment project, having secured funding from the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure, and work will start next year.
10-Oct-2005
Canterbury City Council has approved plans for the £23m expansion of the Marlowe Theatre, including more seating, additional performance space and new catering facilities.
10-Oct-2005
Coral Eurobet, the betting shop chain, is to be acquired by Gala for £2.2bn, creating an enlarged group with about 1,450 outlets and more than 17,000 staff.
10-Oct-2005
Queens Moat Houses has sold nine UK hotels to Jefferson Hotels for about £100m, and eight of them will be leased to Rezidor SAS and rebranded as Park Inns.
10-Oct-2005
Glasgow City Council has approved plans from Hanover Property Unit Trust to build a £20m hotel and leisure development at Queenslie in Easterhouse, which will create 500 jobs.
06-Oct-2005
The London 2012 Olympic Games Organising Committee and the Olympic Delivery Authority are planning to set up a 30,000 sq ft headquarters at One Churchill Place in Canary Wharf.
04-Oct-2005
Newbury Racecourse is due to seek planning permission next year for a redevelopment programme, including a £5m all-weather track, a new entrance, shops, stables and a hotel.
03-Oct-2005
Page & Moy has sold its cruise booking business, including a call centre in Leicester, to a new company called Totally Travel for about £5m.
03-Oct-2005
Hayley Conference Centres has secured a £41m private equity investment from 3i, which will help fund the £80m expansion of its network of eight conference centres over the next four years.
30-Sep-2005
Liverpool City Council is to consider a £6m scheme to open up the crypt at the city's Metropolitan Cathedral to visitors.
30-Sep-2005
Breckland Council and private partner Parkwood Holdings have announced plans for the development of new leisure facilities in Dereham and Thetford, and the Dereham site will include a swimming pool, sports hall and fitness centre.
30-Sep-2005
Manchester City Council is to consider plans from Teesland iDG to develop an Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill, including a museum, a Gaelic football field and a 100-bed hotel.
29-Sep-2005
Lochs & Glens Holidays is planning to build a £8m 124-room hotel at Ardgartan on Loch Long by 2007, with the creation of 45 jobs.
29-Sep-2005
CNG Travel Group has sold its leisure division, including a hotel booking business, to FEXCO All Travel for an initial £1.4m.
28-Sep-2005
The Saatchi Gallery is to relocate its art collection from London's County Hall to the Duke of York's Headquarters Building in Chelsea in 2007.
28-Sep-2005
Oswestry Borough Council is to consider plans from TNS of Wales for the development of a new £5m 3,000-seater football stadium by 2008.
27-Sep-2005
Hartford is to acquire Henry J Beans, the chain of five bars with a further 17 franchised outlets abroad, for £5.8m.
27-Sep-2005
Essex County Council is to consider plans from Bunting & Sons for the development of a £20m tourist attraction at Great Horkesley, including a country park, leisure complex, gardens and an art gallery.
26-Sep-2005
Glasgow City Council is planning to develop a £2.8m restaurant and visitor attraction at the Botanic Gardens next to Kibble Palace, and there will also be improvements at other parks across the city.
26-Sep-2005
Belfast City Council is to consider plans from Cordia Hotels for the development of a £25m four-star hotel on Hope Street, which will create 200 jobs.
23-Sep-2005
Restaurant Group is planning to expand its chain of 279 eateries with up to 13 Frankie & Benny's and four Chiquito outlets in the second half of the year.
22-Sep-2005
Signature Restaurants is to be acquired by the owner of Wentworth Golf Club for about £57m, which is expected to lead to a £60m investment in the expansion of the 25 Strada pizza outlets to 100.
22-Sep-2005
BC Partners is set to acquire the Fitness First chain of 440 fitness centres from Cinven for £800m, and aims to open up to 250 new sites over the next five years.
22-Sep-2005
Glasgow Rangers Football Club and Las Vegas Sands have won planning permission to build a £120m entertainment and casino complex.
21-Sep-2005
Jurys Doyle has been selected as the preferred operator of a new 280-bedroom hotel due to open at Liverpool's Kings Dock in late 2007.
20-Sep-2005
Alchemy Partners has acquired 178 city centre pubs and bars from Spirit Group for £177m, and the chain will be known as Tattershall Castle Group.
20-Sep-2005
Belfast City Council is to consider plans from Andras House to build a four-star 215-bedroom hotel between Hope Street and Wellwood Street.
19-Sep-2005
Cannock Chase Council has unveiled a multi-million pound plan for the redevelopment of sports and leisure facilities, including new swimming pools, restaurants and a 600-seat theatre.
19-Sep-2005
Bristol Zoo has unveiled proposals to set up a National Wildlife Conservation Park on a 132-acre site at Cribbs Causeway, which could attract 600,000 visitors a year.
19-Sep-2005
Modus Properties and the Iliad Group are to submit plans for the £100m Wireworks urban regeneration scheme in Warrington, including a cinema, a hotel, flats and offices.
16-Sep-2005
South Bedfordshire District Council has approved plans from Complex Development Projects to build a £16m theatre complex at Queensway Hall by spring 2007.
16-Sep-2005
Diggerland has won planning permission to set up its fourth theme park in Wakefield by next summer.
15-Sep-2005
Chorus has won a £20m contract to refurbish the Berners Hotel in the West End of London, and plans to start work early next year.
15-Sep-2005
The Rambert Dance Company is planning to build a £16m six-storey dance centre on the South Bank in London by 2008, to replace its existing site in Chiswick.
15-Sep-2005
First Artist has acquired The Finishing Touch, the Surrey-based event management company, for £3.4m.
15-Sep-2005
The Lawn Tennis Association is looking to sell the Queen's tennis club in London for about £40m, as part of a plan to relocate its headquarters to Roehampton in 2007.
14-Sep-2005
Yarmouth Pleasure Beach has reached agreement with Vue Entertainment to build a £8m multiplex cinema in Great Yarmouth by 2007.
12-Sep-2005
Urbium has accepted a £113m takeover offer from private equity firm Electra, and Electra is planning to expand the chain of bars from 37 to 100 over the next few years.
12-Sep-2005
Bournemouth Borough Council is planning to build a new £8m arts and education centre to replace the Winter Gardens concert hall.
09-Sep-2005
Richmondshire Council is to help fund the development of a £15m sport and leisure complex at Catterick Garrison, with final approval expected to be granted by the Army Infrastructures Organisation next summer.
09-Sep-2005
Red Carnation Hotels has bought the Egerton House hotel in Knightsbridge, London, from Townhouse Hotel Investments for about £6m.
08-Sep-2005
Parkwood has acquired Coblands Wholesale, the Kent-based nursery with five sites involved in the production and growing-on of plants.
06-Sep-2005
Trentham Leisure is considering plans from Birdline UK to set up a £4m parrot aviary with 700 birds at the Trentham Gardens site in Staffordshire.
06-Sep-2005
Forest of Dean Council has approved plans for the development of a £0.6m extreme cycling centre at Cannop.
05-Sep-2005
Teesdale District Council is to consider plans from Primula for the development of a 120-room hotel and leisure complex at Humbleton Camp near Barnard Castle, including golf course, spa and holiday lodges.
05-Sep-2005
Derby City Council is to consider plans for the development of the £9.8m Quad Arts Centre for media and visual arts in Derby.
05-Sep-2005
Plymouth City Council has approved plans from Yelverton Properties for the development of a £20m nine-storey JurysDoyle hotel, which will create about 100 jobs.
05-Sep-2005
Salford Council is to consider plans from the Salford Reds rugby league club for the development of a £70m 20,000-capacity stadium designed by Arup Associates, and the plans also include leisure and retail facilities.
01-Sep-2005
Chelsea Football Club has awarded a contract to Dean & Dyball to build a new £15m training ground at Cobham in Surrey.
01-Sep-2005
Scottish Natural Heritage is to launch a four-month recruitment campaign for up to 70 staff at its new headquarters in Inverness, where it already employs 125 staff in five offices.
31-Aug-2005
Sefton Council has approved plans for the development of a £8.5m water park at Dunes Leisure Centre in Southport, which will create up to 137 jobs.
29-Aug-2005
Sheffield United has announced plans to build a four-star 146-bedroom hotel and a new 2,200-capacity stand at its Bramall Lane football stadium.
29-Aug-2005
Bath Rugby Club is to seek outline permission to build a 15,000-capacity stadium on the Recreation Ground in Bath.
29-Aug-2005
Southend Council is to consider plans from Dedman Planning & Regeneration to revamp the area between the Kursaal and the Pier, including new homes, a casino, restaurants and a hotel.
26-Aug-2005
Wolverhampton & Dudley is to acquire English Country Inns, the chain of 14 pubs, for £14m.
25-Aug-2005
Punch Taverns is to sell 45 pubs to Admiral Taverns (Cygnet) for £15m.
25-Aug-2005
Leeds City Council is to secure £30m of government funding to build new swimming pools, sports halls and fitness centres across the city.
24-Aug-2005
Jackson Construction has won a contract from Dartford Borough Council to build a £6m 5,000-capacity football stadium for Dartford FC by July 2006.
24-Aug-2005
Studley Castle, the Warwickshire conference centre, is expected to be sold by Phoenix Venture Holdings to the Firoka Group for £4.5m.
24-Aug-2005
Stockton Council has approved plans for the £4.8m development of Preston Hall Museum in Eaglescliffe into a leading tourist attraction, but Billingham Art Gallery and the Green Dragon Museum will close.
23-Aug-2005
PGL Travel, the Herefordshire-based activity holiday company, has undergone a £42m management buy-out.
23-Aug-2005
Staffordshire County Council is to consider plans for the development of a £6m arts centre in Stafford, including a gallery, exhibition space and conference facilities.
19-Aug-2005
Belfast City Council has received detailed proposals for the development of a £100m visitor attraction on the shore of Belfast Lough, in order to tell the story of the Titanic.
18-Aug-2005
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is seeking permission to spend £6m expanding its Sophia Gardens stadium in Cardiff from a capacity of 6,000 to 16,000, and an indoor ice hockey arena is also included in the plans.
15-Aug-2005
X-Leisure has acquired the Queen's Links Leisure Park in Aberdeen from the Legendary Property Company for £22m, and will soon announce plans for a series of improvements at the site.
12-Aug-2005
Haringey Council in London is planning to invest £4.6m in the development of new health and fitness facilities across the borough.
09-Aug-2005
Holmes Place has sold its 15 fitness clubs in Spain and Portugal to a consortium of local private equity firms for £76m.
08-Aug-2005
Highland Council is to consider plans from Tulloch Dounreay for the development of a £20m leisure and business complex at Upper Dounreay Farm in Caithness, including hotels, a swimming pool and self-catering apartments.
05-Aug-2005
Norwich Sport Village is to undergo a £4m refurbishment, in order to transform the site into a 78-bedroom Express by Holiday Inn.
04-Aug-2005
Vale Royal Borough Council has approved plans to expand the Nunsmere Country Hall Hotel in Oakmere, with the creation of up to 80 jobs.
03-Aug-2005
Red Letter Days, the experience gift company, has been bought out of administration by AIC.
03-Aug-2005
Sportingbet is to acquire ISC Entertainment, the Antigua-based online gambling company, for up to £22m.
03-Aug-2005
Marylebone Warwick Balfour has raised £105m to fund the expansion of its Hotel du Vin and Malmaison hotel chains throughout the country, including about nine new sites over the next four years.
27-Jul-2005
Carmarthenshire Council and Llanelli Scarlets are planning to build a new £45m 15,000-capacity rugby stadium and athletics stadium in Llanelli by 2007.
25-Jul-2005
The Scottish Executive has awarded a £9m grant to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority to set up a new headquarters at Balloch for 120 staff.
25-Jul-2005
Inverness Harbour Trust is planning to build a new £8m marina at the mouth of the River Ness.
25-Jul-2005
Total Fitness is to open a health and fitness centre at Thornaby on Teesside in September, with the creation of 55 jobs.
20-Jul-2005
Punch Taverns has acquired the Avebury Holdings chain of 409 pubs for £219m, taking its total number to 8,209.
19-Jul-2005
Stanley Leisure is to invest £100m in the expansion of its chain of 41 casinos over the next five years.
19-Jul-2005
North British Trust Group of Edinburgh is to sell 20 hotels to Swallow Hotels & Inns for an estimated £75m, but will retain four Scottish properties to focus on adventure tourism.
18-Jul-2005
Esporta has sold 13 health clubs to Virgin Active for undisclosed terms, including sites in Chelmsford, Rugby, Crawley, Birmingham, Bolton, Gloucester, Medway and six in Spain.
18-Jul-2005
Hilton has acquired Jack Brown, the Pontypridd-based chain of 141 betting shops, for £76m, in order to expand its Ladbrokes business.
18-Jul-2005
Luton Borough Council is to consider plans for the development of a casino and 1,000 new homes at the former Vauxhall site.
15-Jul-2005
Sheffield City Council has approved plans for the development of The Mayfield Astronomy & Space centre, and the Sheffield Astronomical Society is now looking to raise £0.5m for the project.
15-Jul-2005
Spa & Resort Operations is to invest £40m in a series of expansion projects, with the creation of up to 400 jobs at sites including Hoar Cross Hall in Staffordshire and Eden Hall near Newark.
14-Jul-2005
Legoland Parks has been acquired by US-based private equity group Blackstone for £258m, and will be combined with Blackstone's Merlin Entertainments business.
14-Jul-2005
The North West Development Agency has approved funding of £33m for the redevelopment of the Pier Head site, including a new Museum of Liverpool and a canal link.
12-Jul-2005
Really Useful Theatres has sold four London theatres to Max Wietzenhoffer and Nica Burns for £11m, including the Apollo, the Lyric, the Duchess and the Garrick.
12-Jul-2005
Photo-Me International has acquired RG Mitchell, the Lincolnshire-based kiddie rides manufacturer with 80 staff, for £3.9m.
12-Jul-2005
William Hill is to sell 28 betting shops to the Tote for £15m, in order to win regulatory approval for the acquisition of Stanley Leisure's betting shops.
12-Jul-2005
The Mill Hotel in Chester has revealed plans for a £10m extension, including a conference centre and 50 new jobs.
11-Jul-2005
Talarius has acquired Leisure Promotions and In To Save for a total £11m, increasing its estate of Quicksilver amusement centres from 129 to 142.
08-Jul-2005
Ebac is planning to open a chain of luxury spas under the Waterfall name, depending on the success of a £1m site due to open in Leeds this autumn.
08-Jul-2005
Travelsupermarket is planning to invest £6m in the expansion of its online travel price comparison business over the next 12 months, with the creation of up to 50 jobs at its site near Chester.
07-Jul-2005
Rotherham United is planning to build a new £4m stand at its football stadium by next February.
05-Jul-2005
Southampton City Council has secured a £5m Arts Council grant to set up an arts complex at Guildhall Square by 2008, including equipment for performers, artists and film-makers.
04-Jul-2005
Gala has acquired New Generation Bingo, the owner of the Club 2000 bingo club in Basingstoke, for £18m.
04-Jul-2005
Heritage Pub Company has sold its chain of 231 pubs to the Globe Pub Company for about £79m, and the leased sites will be operated by Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises.
01-Jul-2005
Healthy Living Centres is planning to expand its chain of 33 Motorcise healthy living centres, having agreed a new financing package.
01-Jul-2005
Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) is submitting plans to build a new £5m four-storey dance centre at its city centre headquarters.
30-Jun-2005
Cardiff County Council has awarded a £3m contract to Opco Construction to refurbish Cardiff Castle.
30-Jun-2005
Walton Hall, the stately home near Stratford-upon-Avon, has been acquired by Dawnay Shore Hotels for £15m, and £10m will be spent converting it into a 200-room hotel with conference facilities.
28-Jun-2005
Laurel Pub Company has acquired 98 of SFI's 150 pubs for £80m, and the remaining 52 sites have gone into administration through PwC.
27-Jun-2005
Seasons in Style, the tour operator with 45 staff, is to relocate its headquarters from Wirral to St David's Park, Chester, in October, and plans to create 20 new jobs.
27-Jun-2005
Celtic Football Club is considering plans to relocate its training facilities from the east end of Glasgow to Lennoxtown.
27-Jun-2005
Quintessential Hotels has changed its name to QHotels, and will invest almost £40m in a refurbishment programme.
27-Jun-2005
MyTravel is to sell its stake in the Hotetur resort hotel group in Palma to Teinver for £19m.
24-Jun-2005
Top Ten Holdings has acquired Westvale Leisure, the parent company of Walker Leisure and operator of 13 bingo clubs in the Midlands and the north, for £5.4m.
24-Jun-2005
Coventry Sports Foundation has announced plans to build a £7m sports centre in Canley, and hopes to start work in January.
24-Jun-2005
Whitbread is planning to build up to 20 pubs, restaurants and hotels in Northern Ireland over the next ten years, at a cost of £30m.
23-Jun-2005
The London Borough of Merton, Greenwich Leisure and Merton College are to spend £4.5m refurbishing the Wimbledon Wellness fitness centre, the Morden Park Pool Wellness fitness centre and Cannons Leisure Centre over the next two years.
23-Jun-2005
The Restaurant Group has acquired the Blubeckers chain of 17 restaurants from CI Traders for £27m.
23-Jun-2005
Lancashire Wildlife Trust is planning to set up a £1.2m regional headquarters in Bolton in July 2006.
22-Jun-2005
Carmarthenshire County Council is considering proposals from the Walters Group to build a new racecourse at Ffos Las in Trimsaran, and private sector investment is being sought.
22-Jun-2005
Bicester Golf & Country Club is planning to build a 52-room four-star hotel by 2007.
22-Jun-2005
Liverpool City Council is planning to set up a £13m botanical garden in Calderstones Park, with three domes being used to house the city's collection of 16,000 plants.
20-Jun-2005
Peterborough City Council is considering plans from Travelodge Hotels to build a 79-bedroom hotel in the city centre.
17-Jun-2005
Edinburgh Crystal Glass has awarded a £2m contract to J Smart to build a visitor centre in Edinburgh.
16-Jun-2005
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society is planning to build a £8m music and conference venue at the Lincolnshire Showground.
15-Jun-2005
Middlesbrough Borough Council is considering proposals for the development of a multi-million pound 2,500-seater music and conference arena.
14-Jun-2005
The Horniman Museum Aquarium in London is planning a £1.5m refurbishment by spring 2006.
14-Jun-2005
Luminar has sold 49 nightclubs and bars to a management buy-out, operating under the name of Candu Entertainment and backed by Close Brothers Private Equity, for £27m, and £10m will be spent on refurbishing the sites.
14-Jun-2005
Arena Leisure is to soon seek planning permission to develop racecourses in Windsor, Lingfield Park and Doncaster.
14-Jun-2005
Leicester City Council has approved revised plans for the development of a new theatre to replace the Haymarket Theatre, despite the cost rising from £26m to £48m.
08-Jun-2005
Signature Restaurants has sold The Ivy and five other London-based restaurants to the new owner of Wentworth Golf Club for about £31m.
07-Jun-2005
Gwynedd Council has approved plans for the £3.8m extension of the Hafan marina at Pwllheli.
03-Jun-2005
Truro City has announced proposals to build a new £16m 16,000-seater football stadium in Truro.
03-Jun-2005
Ark Alive is looking to raise £144m to fund the development of a Christian theme park in Yorkshire.
02-Jun-2005
Avebury Taverns has sold 253 pubs to Admiral Taverns for about £70m, and the remaining chain of 450 pubs is now expected to be put up for sale.
30-May-2005
St Mirren Football Club is looking to sell its Love Street stadium in Paisley to a supermarket chain for about £10m, in order to fund the development of a new stadium in the town's Ferguslie area.
27-May-2005
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is considering plans from Parkwood leisure to build a new £11m leisure centre at Tudor Grange Park.
27-May-2005
Sunderland Council has approved plans for the development of a £12m Olympic swimming pool next to the Stadium of Light over the next two years.
26-May-2005
Derby City Council is to consider plans from Heartwood Homes for the development of a £35m marina village at the derelict 10-acre Acordis landfill site, including 250 homes, bars, restaurants and a hotel.
25-May-2005
Burford has sold the Trocadero leisure complex in London's Leicester Square to property investment company Golfrate for about £220m, and the site will be revamped with a hotel and larger retail units.
23-May-2005
Yates Group, the pub operator, has been acquired by investment vehicle T20 for £202m.
23-May-2005
Oxford United has won approval to build an 87-bed hotel next to the Kassam football stadium.
20-May-2005
Fishworks is planning to expand its chain of seafood restaurants from five to 19 over the next three years, and will to seek a listing on Aim.
19-May-2005
Taylor Woodrow has won a £20m contract from the Harefield Academy Trust to build a £20m football academy in Hertfordshire.
19-May-2005
Holiday Discount Centre is planning to expand the 120-strong workforce at its Newcastle-based travel agency business with about 30 additional staff this year.
18-May-2005
East Riding Council is to refurbish Bridlington Spa at a cost of £10m, which will involve closing the entertainment complex for 18 months from next January.
18-May-2005
Lydd Airport in Kent is planning to build a £7.5m hotel, which is linked to an application to expand the runway and increase the number of passenger flights.
18-May-2005
South Cambridgeshire District Council is considering plans for the development of a £5m Airborne Forces centre to celebrate the history of the Parachute Regiment at the Imperial War Museum site in Duxford.
18-May-2005
Moyle District Council is to consider plans from Kennedy Group to build a £12m leisure and conference hotel in Portrush, with the creation of up to 100 jobs.
18-May-2005
William Hill is to acquire 624 betting shops from Stanley Leisure for £504m, taking its total estate to 2,237.
17-May-2005
Forest Heath District Council is planning to build a new £8.5m swimming pool and leisure centre in Newmarket.
13-May-2005
Glasgow City Council is considering proposals to set up a new leisure centre at the derelict Maryhill Burgh Halls building, at a cost of £10m.
13-May-2005
Lastminute.com, the online travel company, is to be acquired by Sabre Holdings, the owner of Travelocity, for £577m.
12-May-2005
Manchester United and Las Vegas Sands are proposing to build a casino complex next to the Old Trafford stadium, including a five-star hotel.
10-May-2005
Ambassador Theatre Group is looking to expand its chain of 23 theatres by acquiring a further ten sites, and Deloitte & Touche has been appointed to raise up to £30m of development funds.
10-May-2005
Walsall Football Club has reached agreement with Ramada Encore to build a 100-bedroom hotel at the Bescot Stadium site, and work starts next month.
09-May-2005
Gamingking has acquired Kelly's Eye, the supplier of lottery tickets and gaming products, for £1.3m.
09-May-2005
LA Fitness, the fitness club operator, is to undergo a £90m management buy-out backed by MidOcean Partners.
09-May-2005
Menzies Hotels is to acquire the Best Western Milton Hotel & Spa in the centre of Glasgow for about £14m.
06-May-2005
Darlington Borough Council is to consider plans from High Point Estates to build a leisure complex in Yarm Road, including restaurants, shops, bingo, bowling and a cinema.
05-May-2005
Lowdham Leisureworld has acquired Colin's Caravans, the Reading-based caravan dealer.
05-May-2005
Gosling Sports Park in Welwyn Garden City is planning to build a new £5.5m sports facility, including a fitness suite, saunas, treatment rooms and a golf driving range.
05-May-2005
RAL Holdings, the chain of 129 high street amusement arcades, is to be acquired by cash shell Talarius in a £39m reverse takeover.
05-May-2005
Noble House Leisure has secured £9m from Royal Bank of Scotland to fund the development of at least 12 new restaurants over the next three years.
05-May-2005
Glasgow City Council has set aside £1m to acquire a 22-acre site to build a £24m 5,000-seater indoor sports arena near Celtic Park by 2008.
04-May-2005
Gaming Corporation has acquired Newbold, the online gambling company, for £10m.
04-May-2005
London & Edinburgh Inns has bought hotels in Croydon, Bath and Chester from Marston Hotels for £20m, as well as two Corus hotels in Canterbury and Maidstone for £5m.
02-May-2005
Hilton is planning to open up to 200 Ladbrokes betting shops.
02-May-2005
Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, the chain of 135 hotels, is to be acquired by Lehman Brothers and Starwood Capital in a £1bn deal.
02-May-2005
Dartford Borough Council has awarded a £3.5m contract to Mace subsidiary Como to build a judo centre in Dartford.
28-Apr-2005
Westminster City Council has approved plans from Number One Venues to set up a £5m corporate and indoor sporting events venue in Piccadilly by January 2006.
26-Apr-2005
Powerleague, the operator of 30 five-a-side football centres, is to raise £12m in a flotation on Aim, and plans to open a further 11 sites over the next three years.
25-Apr-2005
Quintessential Hotels has acquired the Norton Manor hotel near Winchester for about £9m.
25-Apr-2005
Derwentside District Council is considering proposals to develop a new sports centre in Consett, including swimming pool, tennis and a 6,000-capacity football stadium.
22-Apr-2005
Highland Council has approved plans from the National Trust for Scotland to build a new £7m visitor centre at the historic Culloden battlefield by February 2007.
21-Apr-2005
Plymouth City Council is to consider plans from Trathen Estates to build a £50m 19-storey tower at Derrys Cross, including a five-star hotel, 200 apartments and office space.
21-Apr-2005
Southampton City Council is considering plans from Weyly to build a £35m luxury hotel in lower High Street.
20-Apr-2005
Urban Dining is planning to expand its chain of Tootsies grill restaurants from 24 to 32 this year.
20-Apr-2005
Thomas Cook is to create 100 new sales and customer service jobs at its travel business in Peterborough.
19-Apr-2005
Whitbread is planning to sell its chain of 60 Maredo restaurants in Germany to a management buy-out backed by German Equity Partners for up to £20m.
18-Apr-2005
Mill House Inns has acquired Pioneer Pub Company, the chain of 49 pubs, for about £50m.
18-Apr-2005
Yo Sushi is to expand its UK-based chain of 17 restaurants with four new sites this year.
18-Apr-2005
Merlin Entertainments, the operator of 26 visitor attractions, is expected to be acquired by Blackstone Group of the US for about £100m.
18-Apr-2005
Eatonfield Leisure is planning to set up a £1.5m luxury day spa in Mold by early 2006, with the creation of 40 jobs.
15-Apr-2005
Vimac Leisure has acquired the Hush nightclub in Middlesbrough for £3m, and expects to make further acquisitions later this year.
15-Apr-2005
Restormel Borough Council is to consider plans from CMR Leisure to build a £20m four-star hotel and spa in St Austell, which would create 240 jobs.
15-Apr-2005
United Co-op Travel has acquired Hourds Travel, the Stafford-based chain of six travel agents, which will double the turnover of its business travel division to £60m.
14-Apr-2005
McLaren Construction has won a £15m contract to build the shell of a theme park based on Charles Dickens at Chatham in Kent, and the South East England Development Agency expects the park to open in April 2007.
14-Apr-2005
Elevation Events is to acquire two corporate hospitality companies, including Event Vision La Dolce Vita for £1.7m and Philip Talbot Productions for £1.9m.
14-Apr-2005
JJB Sports is to invest £110m opening 29 new health clubs in its stores over the next two years.
14-Apr-2005
East Lindsey District Council has announced plans to build two leisure centres in Louth, at a cost of £12m.
12-Apr-2005
Gaming Corporation has acquired Got2bet.com, the online gambling portal, for £0.1m.
07-Apr-2005
The Scottish Arts Council is supporting plans for the development of the £4m Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, an international sculpture centre in Newhaven that will include studios and exhibition space.
07-Apr-2005
Harlow Council has approved plans for the development of a new 3,000-capacity stadium at Barrows Farm for Harlow Town Football Club.
07-Apr-2005
Ah-So is planning to sell franchises to set up a chain of up to 70 Japanese teppanyaki restaurants around the country over the next five years.
07-Apr-2005
Multibuild has won a £4m contract to build a hotel in Gretna Green for the Gretna Green Group.
07-Apr-2005
InterContinental Hotels is planning to open two long-stay hotels at Brentford and the South Bank in London next year, under the Staybridge Suites brand.
07-Apr-2005
Test Valley Borough Council has announced plans to build a £1.5m theatre and cultural centre on the site of the present Cricklade Theatre block in Andover by next year.
05-Apr-2005
Sandwell Council has approved plans for the development of a new leisure centre at the former Brierley Upholstery site in Cradley Heath, including a range of sports facilities and 25 new jobs.
05-Apr-2005
British Waterways is to spend £3m revamping Stourport's historic canal basins into a tourist attraction, with the creation of about 70 jobs.
04-Apr-2005
Bet365 is recruiting an extra 20 staff for its online gambling call centre at Festival Park in Staffordshire.
04-Apr-2005
The Restaurant Group is to acquire a 40% stake in the Living Ventures chain of 11 restaurants and bars for £7.7m, while Living Ventures will acquire Est Est Est Restaurants from TRG for £16m.
01-Apr-2005
Harlequin Leisure of Glasgow has sold the Ashoka chain of 16 Indian restaurants, which employ more than 350 staff, to Sanjay Mahju for an estimated £8m.
01-Apr-2005
Chorley Council has secured a £2m lottery grant to fund the refurbishment of the historic Astley Park.
01-Apr-2005
Leeds City Council has been approached by London-based developer Patrick Nally about plans to build a £65m entertainment arena in the centre of Leeds, including a 12,000-seater indoor bowl and Olympic-sized ice rink.
30-Mar-2005
Bristol City Council has selected a consortium of SMG, Orion Land, Bellway and Sir Robert McAlpine to build a 10,000-seat stadium at Temple Meads by 2009, for use as a sporting and music venue.
30-Mar-2005
Marylebone Warwick Balfour is planning to raise £30m of equity funding to expand its Hotel du Vin and Malmaison hotel chains.
30-Mar-2005
British Canoe Union is planning to set up a white-water canoeing facility in Norwich, at a cost of up to £1m, including various recreation and conservation facilities.
29-Mar-2005
Yarmouth Borough Council is to release a 10-acre riverside site at Cobholm to Landfast Anglia, for the development of a multi-million pound marina.
29-Mar-2005
Camden Council has approved plans for the £100m refurbishment of the former Midland Grand Hotel at King's Cross into a luxury hotel and flats.
29-Mar-2005
The Church Mission Society is planning to relocate from London to Oxford, and its 60,000 sq ft property in Waterloo could be transformed into a 300-bedroom hotel.
29-Mar-2005
Bovis Lend Lease is expected to win a £30m contract to build a luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel at Great Shelford in Cambridge.
29-Mar-2005
Zoological Society of London is to set up a £80m aquarium called Biota by 2008, as part of the £1.5bn Silvertown Quays riverside development.
24-Mar-2005
Node Management of Usk has secured a £0.5m investment from Finance Wales to fund the development of a virtual guide that can be taken around tourist attractions.
23-Mar-2005
Highland Council is to consider plans for the development of a £20m golf course at Castle Stuart, including a 57-bedroom hotel, 36 self-catering apartments and 200 new jobs.
23-Mar-2005
Mill House Inns, the chain of 60 family pubs, has undergone a £90m management buy-out backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate.
23-Mar-2005
Harrington Hall, the London hotel with 200 rooms, is to be acquired by NH Hoteles of Spain for £48m.
22-Mar-2005
Numis is to provide advice to Talarius, a new company that aims to raise £5m in a flotation to develop a chain of betting shops and amusement arcades through acquisition.
21-Mar-2005
Hilton has sold 11 hotels to Stardon UK, a newly-formed joint venture between Chardon Hotels and a fund sponsored by Starwood Capital, for £111m.
21-Mar-2005
Aberdeen City Council is planning to build a £2.7m skate park and extreme-sports centre at Aberdeen beach by summer 2006.
21-Mar-2005
Plymouth City Council has approved plans for the development of a £4m sports centre in Devonport, which will also act as a grandstand for Plymouth Albion rugby club.
18-Mar-2005
Ramside Estates is planning a £12m expansion of the Ramside Hall hotel near Durham, with the creation of 100 jobs.
17-Mar-2005
Arena Leisure is seeking contractors for a £20m project to build new facilities at Doncaster racecourse, including a conference centre.
16-Mar-2005
The East of England Development Agency has announced that the National Institute for Research into Aquatic Habitats is to build a £250m 40-hectare aquarium at Stewartby near Bedford by 2010, with the creation of 2,500 jobs.
16-Mar-2005
Reading Borough Council has approved plans from Durham Investment Six to transform the Old Shire Hall in The Forbury into a 24-bedroom luxury hotel.
14-Mar-2005
The Imperial Hotel in Torquay is to undergo a £50m revamp by owner Dawnay Shore Hotels, with the creation of 350 jobs.
14-Mar-2005
Greene King has sold 34 pubs to Admiral Taverns for £15m, in order to comply with regulatory requirements for its recent acquisitions from Laurel.
14-Mar-2005
InterContinental Hotels has sold its 73 UK-based hotels, including 68 Holiday Inns, to a consortium of Lehman Brothers, GIC Real Estate and Realstar Asset Management for £1bn.
14-Mar-2005
Travelodge is planning to expand its chain of 258 budget hotels, adding 2,500 rooms this year and a further 15,000 over the next six years.
14-Mar-2005
Greenwich Council is to consider plans from Anschutz Entertainment Group to set up a football training centre called the Beckham Academy.
14-Mar-2005
Peterborough City Council has approved plans from the First Active Health & Leisure Club to set up a new £3m indoor tennis centre, with the creation of 20 jobs.
11-Mar-2005
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum has secured a £0.9m lottery grant to help it relocate within Edinburgh Castle, while the Gordon Highlanders museum in Aberdeen has secured a £0.5m grant.
11-Mar-2005
Plymouth City Council is considering proposals for the development of a £30m leisure complex in Central Park, including swimming pool, ice rink, sports hall and conference facilities.
10-Mar-2005
Elmbridge Borough Council is to build a £12m swimming and leisure complex in Walton-on-Thames, and Willmott Dixon will start construction work later this month.
04-Mar-2005
Enterprise Inns is to sell 31 freehold and ten leasehold pubs to Admiral Taverns for £10m.
03-Mar-2005
Wellingborough Borough Council is planning to build a £8m swimming pool and dance studio in Cannon Street by autumn 2006.
03-Mar-2005
The Northcott Theatre in Exeter is planning to undergo a £3.1m expansion project by October 2006, in order to add extra seats and extend the hospitality facilities.
03-Mar-2005
Jurys Doyle is planning to open three new Jury Inns hotels in Brighton, Milton Keynes and Liverpool.
03-Mar-2005
Highland Council is considering plans for the development of a £8m historical research centre next to Inverness Cathedral, in order to benefit from rising interest in genealogy.
28-Feb-2005
Aussie UK has appointed investment bank Altium to help it raise £30m to fund the expansion of its chain of six Outback Steakhouse restaurants from six to 50 over the next five years.
28-Feb-2005
Wembley is planning to sell its six greyhound racing tracks to Risk Capital Partners for £50m.
28-Feb-2005
North Wales Watersports has been established as a not-for-profit company with the aim of creating more than 400 jobs and doubling the annual revenues of the watersports industry in north Wales to £60m.
25-Feb-2005
Paddy Power is planning to open a further 30 betting shops in London over the next two years.
24-Feb-2005
Tote, the bookmaker, is to relocate its head office from London to the Wigan Investment Centre in March, to be closer to the 600 staff already employed in Wigan.
23-Feb-2005
Pleasurewood Hills is investing £2m in improvements at its amusement park in Suffolk.
23-Feb-2005
Quintessential Hotels has acquired Midmint, the owner of the Hanover International Hotel in Warrington, for £23m, and plans to make further acquisitions this year.
23-Feb-2005
Glasgow City Council has approved plans from London Clubs International and Heron International to set up a £8m casino at Springfield Quay by next year, with the creation of 200 jobs.
23-Feb-2005
London Clubs International and Henry Boot Developments have won permission to include a £8m casino at the Axis retail and leisure development in Nottingham.
21-Feb-2005
Hardys & Hansons is to acquire five pubs in Lancashire and Yorkshire from Shadeweir Inns for £11m.
21-Feb-2005
Top Ten Holdings is to acquire Judges Hall Bingo Club of Tonypandy from Planned Amusements for £0.8m.
18-Feb-2005
Phoenix Equity Partners has acquired Westar Holidays, the Exeter-based operator of holiday parks in Looe, Mullion and Sandford, for an estimated £30m.
18-Feb-2005
Travelscope, the tour operator, has awarded a £5m contract to Galliford Try to build a new headquarters in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.
17-Feb-2005
Multibuild has won a £3.2m contract from Goals Soccer to build a sports facility in Sheffield.
17-Feb-2005
Liverpool City Council has announced proposals to spend £11m transforming historic Stanley Park, including the restoration of its conservatory.
17-Feb-2005
North Norfolk District Council is to consider plans from Thrigby Hall Wildlife Garden to develop a new zoo in Cromer, which could attract up to 50,000 visitors a year by 2008.
15-Feb-2005
The De Vere Belfry golf course, hotel and leisure complex near Birmingham has been acquired by the Quinn Group of Ireland for £186m.
11-Feb-2005
The East of England Development Agency is to help fund the development of a £16m arts complex at the St Botolph's Quarter in Colchester by 2007, including an art gallery, conference centre and auditorium.
11-Feb-2005
Eastbourne Borough Council has approved plans from Rick Mather Architects for the development of a £8.5m art gallery and cultural centre next to the Congress Theatre.
10-Feb-2005
Harlequins has awarded a £8m contract to Metnor Construction to build a new stand at the Stoop rugby stadium in west London.
10-Feb-2005
Wentworth Golf Club's new owner is planning to invest £60m in an expansion programme, including a new five-star hotel.
10-Feb-2005
Pubs n Bars is to acquire three London-based pubs from Shannon Inns for £3.7m.
07-Feb-2005
Directski.com, the Irish tour operator, has received a £2m equity investment from ACT to fund the expansion of its UK operations.
07-Feb-2005
Vale of Glamorgan Council is considering plans from Decourcy for the £6m redevelopment of the Beach Cliff buildings on the seafront in Penarth, including a number of new restaurants.
03-Feb-2005
Forest Heath District Council is expected to receive plans from Orion Land & Leisure for the development of a water-sports centre and 4,000 homes at Kentford Heath, near Newmarket.
03-Feb-2005
South Ayrshire Council has approved outline plans for the £35m development of new facilities at Ayr racecourse, including a hotel, casino and cinema, which will lead to the creation of 300 jobs.
03-Feb-2005
The Old Course Hotel and the Duke's golf course at St Andrews are to undergo a £12m refurbishment over the next two years.
02-Feb-2005
The Big Lottery Fund is planning to set up a lottery grant processing centre in Newcastle with the creation of 180 jobs, and a second site will be established in Birmingham.
01-Feb-2005
Sandwell Council is working on proposals for the multi-million pound transformation of the historic Soho Foundry in Smethwick into an industrial and museum complex.
01-Feb-2005
Archerfield Links is to create more than 350 jobs this year with the £50m development of two championship golf courses and associated accommodation in East Lothian.
01-Feb-2005
Rotherham Council is considering plans from Oak Holdings to build a £300m leisure resort near Orgreave, which will include 1m sq ft of entertainment facilities and create up to 2,700 jobs.
01-Feb-2005
Tate Modern has announced proposals to expand its London art gallery by 2012, including a new building with galleries for performance and new media.
28-Jan-2005
Sheffield City Council is to consider plans from Ski Village to build an £80m indoor ski resort at Parkwood Springs.
28-Jan-2005
Northampton Borough Council has approved plans from Northampton Saints for the £3m expansion of the Franklin's Gardens stadium, while Northampton Town is to submit plans to extend Sixfields.
28-Jan-2005
The South West Regional Development Agency is planning to build a £30m four-star hotel and hotel school next to the Bournemouth International Centre.
26-Jan-2005
Corus Hotels has sold its Elmville joint venture, which includes five hotels in London, Derby, Exeter and Keswick, to a new vehicle called Leverguide for about £50m.
25-Jan-2005
The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry has secured £1.9m from Advantage West Midlands to help fund a £10m redevelopment scheme, which will involve a second auditorium and a rehearsal facility.
25-Jan-2005
Colchester United is to seek permission to build a 10,000-capacity football stadium at Cuckoo Farm by 2007.
21-Jan-2005
The Savoy hotel in London has been acquired by a consortium led by Fairmont of Canada for more than £200m.
20-Jan-2005
Vimac Leisure has acquired Trenchers, the Whitby-based fish restaurant with 90 staff, for undisclosed terms.
20-Jan-2005
Jennings Brothers of Cumbria is to spend £5m expanding its pub acquisition programme into Lancashire and West Yorkshire this year.
19-Jan-2005
Barracuda is planning to expand its chain of 155 pubs and bars with 30 new sites this year.
18-Jan-2005
Highlands & Islands Enterprise is seeking a developer to build at least one new hotel on Lewis.
17-Jan-2005
Anglesey County Council is considering plans from Leeds-based LDC to build a 20-bed three storey hotel overlooking the Menai Bridge.
14-Jan-2005
Stafford Borough Council is to build a new £12m leisure centre to replace the Riverside Recreation Centre in South Walls.
14-Jan-2005
The Restaurant Group is planning to spend about £25m refurbishing its chain of high street restaurants and opening up to 30 new sites this year.
13-Jan-2005
Glasgow City Council is to consider plans from Pacific Quay Developments for the £150m redevelopment of the former Garden Festival site on the banks of the Clyde, including a 150-bed hotel, offices and homes.
13-Jan-2005
The Life Science Centre in Newcastle is to undergo a £4.5m refurbishment, in order to improve its exhibition facilities.
12-Jan-2005
Whitechapel Art Gallery has secured a £3.3m lottery grant to help fund the £12m expansion of its exhibition space.
12-Jan-2005
The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green has secured a £3.5m lottery grant to set up new galleries and an entrance.
12-Jan-2005
Future Inns is seeking private investors to help finance the development of a £10m hotel and conference centre at Plymouth International Business Park.
12-Jan-2005
Creswell Crags has secured £4.3m of lottery funding to expand facilities at its cave art museum in Derbyshire.
11-Jan-2005
Scottish Racing is to invest £23m in improvements to Scotland's five independent racecourses over the next 12 months, including a £10m all-weather track at Musselburgh, a £10m redevelopment at Ayr and a new £2m grandstand at Perth.
11-Jan-2005
Inventive Leisure is looking to expand its chain of 40 Revolution vodka bars to between 80 and 100 sites.
10-Jan-2005
Next Generation Clubs has acquired the Harbour Club in London for £16m, and is now planning to expand its chain of 13 fitness clubs with one or two new sites a year.
06-Jan-2005
Castle Point Council is planning to build a new multi-million pound sports and leisure village to replace the Waterside Farm centre in Canvey.
06-Jan-2005
The Galleries of Justice in Nottingham is to become the new home of the National Prison Museum, which is to relocate from Rugby over the course of the next 15 months.
05-Jan-2005
Menzies Hotels, the chain of 14 four-star hotels, has been acquired by Nikko Principal Investments for £120m.
04-Jan-2005
Gymbox, the operator of a fitness and entertainment club in London, has undergone a £3m management buy-out.
04-Jan-2005
Darlington Borough Council is considering plans for the £3.4m refurbishment of the Dolphin leisure centre.
04-Jan-2005