Deals of the week - 14.11.2002

Most fashionable deal: KLegal is acting for investment bank Seymour Pierce, which has made a 17.5 million hostile bid for William Baird on behalf of fellow clothes retailer Jacques Vert, advised by Field Fisher Waterhouse.

It is believed to be the first time an AIM-listed company has made a hostile offer for a fully listed company.

Linklaters is acting for William Baird.

Most co-operative deal: Hammond Suddards Edge acted for the Co-operative Group on its 131 million acquisition of major convenience store chain Alldays from its receivers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, advised by Eversheds.

The banks, led by Royal Bank of Scotland, were advised by Denton Wilde Sapte.

Most leisurely deal: Reading firm Pitmans advised an individual hotelier in the 6.5 million purchase of Nottingham's Welbeck Hotel from Pickering Properties, represented by Nottingham firm Freethcartwright.

South London firm Lawrence Jones advised the funder, Allied Irish Bank.

Comfiest deal: US firm Altheimer & Gray acted for MFI Furniture Group on its 12 million acquisition of The Sofa Workshop, advised by Macfarlanes.

Most regenerated deal: Ashurst Morris Crisp acted for developer Chelsfield and Stanhope on closing the Stratford City regeneration deal with London & Continental Railways, advised by Herbert Smith.

The 150 acres of derelict land is adjacent to the site of the new Stratford international railway station, which is being constructed by London & Continental as part of the Channel Tunnel rail link.

CMS Cameron McKenna represented the Department of Transport, which has promoted the regeneration.

Cosiest deal: Guildford firm AWB Partnership advised the sellers of Clenmay Maintenance Services, a major domestic heating system installer and repairer, on a management buy-out for an undisclosed sum.

Sheridans in Guilford advised the managers.

Best baked deal: US firm McDermott Will & Emery advised Britannia Living and Graphite Capital Management on the 22 million recommended cash offer by Altium Capital on behalf of Britannia for The Range Cooker Company, advised by Manchester firm Wacks Caller.

The offer is a management buy-out supported by a mixture of private equity finance and debt financing.

McDermotts advised Graphite on the banking documents, while Linklaters advised on the equity documents.

Bank debt was provided by Bank of Scotland, represented by DLA.

Fishiest deal: City firm Howard Kennedy acted for Icelandic fishing company UA Seafood Group on its 7 million purchase of Boyd Line Management Services, which owns a fishing business in Hull, advised by local firm Gosschalks.