Deals of the week 07.03.2002

Most on-track deal: Eversheds acted for the Strategic Rail Authority on its 20-year franchise agreement with Chiltern Railways, advised by CMS Cameron McKenna and niche rail firm Hollingworth Bissell.

The first railway private finance partnership, it will see Chiltern invest millions of pounds in lines, trains and stations.

Slaughter and May represented Railtrack's administrators, while Allen & Overy acted for financiers the Royal Bank of Scotland.Most thin-crust deal: Pinsent Curtis Biddle acted for PizzaExpress on its 2 million purchase of the Gourmet Pizzas chain in London, advised by Davenport Lyons.Healthiest deal: Manchester firm Kuit Steinart Levy advised sports management firm MTC and Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis on her three-year sponsorship deal with Kellogg's, advised in-house, for its Healthy Eating cereals and Nutrigrain bars.Ballsiest deal: Kent firm Gulland & Gulland represented cricket ball manufacturer Alfred Reader & Co on its sale to the UK arm ofAustralian group Kookaburra Sport, advised by London firm Charles Russell.Most innovative deal: Mills & Reeve advised Hertfordshire University on the first major private finance initiative in the university sector, building student accommodation and sports facilities.

Ashurt Morris Crisp advised the project sponsors, Carillion and Royal Bank Project Investments, while Allen & Overy acted for Financial Security Assurance, which guaranteed the 60 million finance, which came via an LPI (limited price inflation) wrapped bond for the first time in a PFI deal.Most digital deal: Wragge & Co advised UBC Media Group on a joint venture with Capital Radio to create the UK's largest provider of digital radio data services.

Capital was advised in-house, led by group director of business affairs Nathalie Schwarz.Most aromatic deal: Landwell acted for Caff Nero on its proposed acquisition of the Aroma coffee shop chain for an undisclosed sum from McDonald's, advised by Reed Smith Warner Cranston.Luckiest deal: Lawrence Graham represented the National Lottery Commission on the acquisition of new headquarters in Wigmore Street, London, on a ten-year lease from AXA Sun Life, advised by DJ Freeman.