Under starter’s orders for airport bidders

THE sales prospectus for Edinburgh airport will be released “imminently”, The Scotsman has learned, kick-starting what is expected to be a fierce bidding war.

Citi, BNP Paribas and Ernst & Young, which have been working on the sale on behalf of BAA, are due to send out an information memorandum to interested parties within days. A short-list is likely to be drawn up by March.

Likely bidders include Gatwick and London City airport owner Global Infrastructure Partners which has hired Royal Bank of Scotland to look into the asset. Others are private equity firms 3i and Carlyle Group. The latter is working with a group of prominent Scots businessmen including Sir Angus Grossart and Sir Brian Souter. Another bid may come from Edinburgh banker Ben Thomson, who is working with former Edinburgh airport managing director Richard Jeffrey.