Deals of the week 31.08.2001

Fastest deal: Eversheds acted for the City of Sunderland on its agreement with Jarvis, advised by Addleshaw Booth & Co, to build a community learning centre.

In taking 18 weeks from appointment of the bidder to financial close, it is thought to be one of the fastest private finance initiatives ever.

Pinset Curtis Biddle represented funder NIB Capital Bank.Most Victorian deal: Nabarro Nathanson advised the London Development Agency on an agreement with Development Securities, advised by Linklaters, to redevelop the Royal business park at the Royal Albert Dock.

The 12-year programme is valued at 500 million.Best supported deal: Ashurt Morris Crisp acted for Ipswich Town on the 25 million securitisation of the Premiership football club's future gate receipts.

Penningtons and US firm Latham & Watkins advised the investors.Inkiest deal: Cambridge firm Hewitson Becke & Shaw represented Domino Printing Services on its 5 million acquisition of ink jet printer manufacturer Alpha Dot, advised by London firm Teacher Stern Selby.Mintiest deal: Pinsent Curtis Biddle advised the incoming management team on the management buy-in of The Birmingham Mint, one of Britain's oldest coin makers.

The outgoing management team, which bought the company from IMI in 1998, was advised by Wragge & Co.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert advised GE Commercial Finance, and Martineau Johnson acted for Lloyds TSB, which has provided working capital.Best-dressed deal: Howard Kennedy acted for Etam and its Belgium sister company Fonciere Forest on the 37 million sale of Fonciere and its 26 retail sites throughout the UK.

The private offshore purchaser was advised by Andersen Legal.Best advertised deal: Charles Russell advised Scoot on the 45 million sale of Loot to the Daily Mail and General Trust, represented by Theodore Goddard.Most backward deal: Stockport firm Gorvin Smith Fort acted for Applied Infrastructure Management on its 8 million sale to Ninth Floor in a reverse takeover of the AIM-listed company.

Nabarro Nathanson acted for Ninth Floor and Memory Crystal for underwriter Seymour Pierce.Most regal deal: Landwell advised Queen Mary University of London on the reconstruction of a group company involved in the research, development and exploitation of intellectual property relating to bone substitute materials.

It also advised Queen Mary on 3i's 3 million investment into ApaTech, one of the companies resulting from the reconstruction.

3i was advised in-house.