Castle View continues its expansion down south

Leisure and food group Castle View International has secured further contracts to run sports facilities in England amid the continued clampdown on local government spending and growth in outsourcing.

The Bridge of Allan-based company, whose interests include catering and food production, acquired Leicestershire-based Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) in 2002.

The business manages 78 sports and leisure facilities on behalf of 28 local authorities south of the Border. It said all of its existing contracts had been retained during the past year, while five additional agreements were put in place.

In the current year, a further three deals were secured for SLM to run facilities on behalf of councils in Daventry, East Cambridgeshire and St Albans.

Castle View said pre-tax profits for the year to 31 March rose to £2.3 million from about £1.5m with turnover up to just under £87m from £76.8m.

The firm noted that its My Best Deal internet venture racked up “substantial losses with virtually no sales” and was therefore closed in early July.