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Equest takes Heitman shopping in Bulgaria 

London-based real estate investor Equest Balkan Properties has sold a shopping centre in Bulgaria for an eight-figure sum. Mergers & Acquisitions / Wednesday, 26th November 2008

Property fund raises £100 million

Commercial property investment manager Orchard Street has secured £100 million of bank funding to pursue ‘exciting' opportunities in the UK. Fundraising Deals / Monday, 17th November 2008

HML confirms southwest deal

HML, a provider of property management, insurance and ancillary services to residential property blocks, is to continue expanding its business with a proposed acquisition in the southwest. The company has agreed to buy Grovewood Property Management, a Weston-super-Mare company serving the residential property market. Mergers & Acquisitions / Tuesday, 29th July 2008

Swiss firm takes to the floor with UK company

A Swiss-based flooring systems specialist has extended its network with an nine-figure acquisition in the UK. Forbo bought Bonar Floors, a contract flooring business, from specialist materials group Low & Bonar, for £123 million. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 28th July 2008

Scott Wilson builds bridges with Benaim

Scott Wilson, a UK-based engineering consultancy, has expanded its business with the acquisition of civil engineering specialist Benaim Enterprise. The deal is worth £5.5 million, with some £2.9 million in cash paid on completion with £900,000 due at a later date. Mergers & Acquisitions / Thursday, 24th July 2008

New homes for In-House

A property broking and management group that focuses on buying under-valued assets is to add 11 terraced houses to its books. In-House Group has agreed to acquire Avanti Properties, which owns houses north of Manchester within commuting distance of the city. Mergers & Acquisitions / Thursday, 26th June 2008

Big Yellow sells to expand

Self storage specialist Big Yellow Group has agreed to sell four of its sites to a business it formed with Pramerica Real Estate Investors, part of Prudential Financial. The sites, which are still under development, are being bought by Big Yellow Limited Partnership, in which the vendor holds a third of the equity. Mergers & Acquisitions / Wednesday, 25th June 2008

Mears to leave AIM

Social housing maintenance provider Mears is to leave AIM and join the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in order to offer improved liquidity to its investors. The group, which generated turnover of £305 million last year, will also list its shares on PLUS. IPO & City News / Wednesday, 18th June 2008

NBGI covers roofing firm buy-out

A company that provides roofing and waterproofing services to major construction projects, including the Bluewater and Bullring shopping centres, has been bought by a team led by two of its directors. Rock Asphalte is now under the control of MD John Walsh and Andrew Wood, who becomes full-time finance director following the deal. Mergers & Acquisitions / Wednesday, 18th June 2008

Balfour Beatty strengthens US business

Balfour Beatty, an engineering construction, services and investment group, has bought US firm Douglas E Barnhart from its management. The deal is worth $116 million (£59.4 million), which was paid in cash from the company’s existing resources. Mergers & Acquisitions / Thursday, 5th June 2008

Wichford starts UK spending spree

An Isle of Man-registered investor has completed the first in a series of planned acquisitions designed to take advantage of the current downturn in the UK property market. Wichford, which invests in properties occupied by Government bodies, has bought St Anne House in Croydon. Mergers & Acquisitions / Friday, 30th May 2008

Scott Wilson’s Terence Lee bid

Design and engineering group Scott Wilson has agreed to buy a mechanical and electrical building consultancy in a bid to strengthen its underground infrastructure services. The London-based group has exchanged contracts to acquire Terence Lee Partnership in a deal that could be worth as much as £1.3 million. Mergers & Acquisitions / Wednesday, 28th May 2008

Balfour Beatty makes airport bid

An engineering, construction and investment group is to add a second airport to its business after agreeing a £14 million deal. Balfour Beatty is to buy a majority shareholding in Blackpool International Airport in an all-cash transaction. Mergers & Acquisitions / Tuesday, 6th May 2008

Asset-based loan backs Everwhite BIMBO

Everwhite, a supplier of plastic products used in buildings, has undergone a buy-in management buy-out (BIMBO) after being put into administration in January. The transaction was supported by £1 million from existing Everwhite shareholders led by John Moulton, along with a £3.9 million asset-based lending package. Mergers & Acquisitions / Monday, 28th April 2008

Hallmark goes fourth with acquisitions

Hallmark Hotel Group has continued its buy-and-build strategy by spending £25 million on buying four properties. The group, which was established last year to create a chain of regional hotels through acquisition, now owns five properties after adding sites in Derby, Carlisle and Bournemouth to its portfolio. Mergers & Acquisitions / Wednesday, 16th April 2008

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