M&B strikes out Hollywood Bowl

MITCHELLS & Butlers, the pubs group whose outlets include the historic Sheep Heid in Edinburgh, is close to selling its chain of ten-pin bowling centres for about £40 million.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Jun 2010, 22:37 BST

Updated 27th Jun 2010, 22:48 BST

Adam Fowle, M&B's chief executive, is understood to have deemed the Hollywood Bowl chain a non-core business as the company focuses on pub restaurant chains such as Harvester and Toby Carvery.

Industry sources said privately-owned AMF was a front-runner in the auction.

Hollywood Bowl has 24 centres stretching from Glasgow to London's Finchley area and Somerset.