A round-up of the weekend's news affecting the hospitality industry...
Donald Macdonald to up bid for hotel group
Donald Macdonald, chief executive of Macdonald Hotels, is preparing to make a higher offer to take the company he founded back into private ownership after his initial approach was considered too low. He is expected to up his bid to at least 250p per share, valuing the company at £150m, after shareholders said his initial approach of 240p undervalued the business. – Scotland on Sunday, 27 July
Hands still bidding for Le Méridien
Lenders to Le Mériden were this weekend still locked in negotiations with financier Guy Hands and Saudi billionaire Prince al-Waleed bin Talal on a rescue package for the hotel group. The talks are focused on a proposed £150m cash injection from the two bidders. – The Business, 2 July
S&N pays top executives £1m in bonuses
Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) has just paid its top executives £1m in bonuses and benefits on top of their £2.5m regular salary, shareholders were told on Friday. S&N’s annual report showed that Sir Brian Stewart, executive chairman until the recent appointment of chief executive Tony Froggatt, took home a performance-related bonus of £190,000 and benefits of £30,000. – The Scotsman, 26 July
Smoking ban in Irish pubs would be catastrophe
Irish restaurateurs and pub owners on a fact-finding mission to New York on Friday were told that a smoking ban in the Republic would shut the country down. Members of the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance were hearing from bar owners across New York at a rally to roll back the New York State smoking ban. – Belfast Telegraph, 26 July
Backpackers welcome in Scotland
Putting more effort into attracting backpackers to Scotland could help its tourism industry. The Scottish Centre of Tourism said yesterday that backpacking had been largely neglected but could help boost visitor numbers. – The Times, 26 July