CVC in talks over Merlin stake

PRIVATE equity firm CVC is in talks to take a 30 per cent stake in the owner of the Edinburgh Dungeon as rival Blackstone looks to reduce its stake in the business.

It is understood that a deal, which would see Blackstone reduce its holding from 56 per cent to about 30 per cent, would value Merlin Entertainments, which also owns Madame Tussauds and Legoland, at about 2.5 billion.

It is thought that Dubai International Capital, which reduced its stake from 16.5 per cent to single digits earlier this year, would fully exit the business.