Andrew Burgess prompts Havelock Europa rise

SHARES in shopfitter Havelock Europa enjoyed a 10.5 per cent spike yesterday when its largest shareholder upped his stake in the firm to 21 per cent.

Andrew Burgess spent £18,000 to buy 115,000 shares at 15.65p in the Dalgety Bay-based company.

The private investor has been building his ownership of the firm since 2011 when he broke through the 3 per cent level at which a shareholder becomes notifiable, and began steadily increasing his interest thereafter.

He also spent £70,100 for shares at 16.45p a pop on 28 January, a day before the AIM-quoted company released an upbeat trading statement. Shares leapt to a 12 month high of 17.38p. The shares yesterday closed up 1.5p at 15.75p.