DEALS OF THE WEEK 30.11.2000Cleanest deal: The Sheffield office of Nabarro Nathanson acted for Harrogate Borough Council on its contract with Scottish Life Assurance Company to refurbish and partially develop the Royal Bath complex in Harrogate.

Macfarlanes advised Scottish Life on the 4 million project.

Newsiest deal: Ashurst Morris Crisp advised United News & Media on the 125 million sale of Express Newspapers to Northern & Shell, advised by Linklaters.Happiest deal: Paisner & Co is acting for Smile-on Holdings on its on-line public offer of shares valuing the company at 6.5 million.

It is one of the first ever on-line offerings.

Brainiest deal: The London office of US firm Bryan Cave acted for 18 of the UK's largest institutional property owners - who between them own more than 60% of the UK's commercial property asset base worth 80 billion - in the launch of PROPEX, an Internet-based exchange for trading commercial property, in conjunction with Internet incubator Brainspark.

Gouldens acted for Brainspark and Kent firm Gill Turner & Tucker for its founders.

Best recruited deal: Surrey firm Stevens & Bolton represented Hays Personnel Services on its acquisition of legal recruitment company ZMB, advised by Olswang.

ZMB will be merged with Hays Richard Owen and known as Hays ZMB.

Most playful deal: Linklaters & Alliance is acting for Scottish & Newcastle on the 670 million sale of Center Parcs to DB Capital Partners and French leisure group Pierre et Vacances (P&V).

The deal will see Center Parcs split between its UK arm, which DB will acquire, and its European business, which the two buyers will run jointly.

P&V is adding its existing holiday villages business, Gran Dorado, into the joint venture.

Allen & Overy is advising DB, while SJ Berwin is advising P&V on English law.

Gide Loyrette Nouel, Loeff Claeys Verbeke, Loyens & Loeff and Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch are advising P&V and the joint venture on French, Belgian, Dutch and German law respectively.

Tastiest deal: London firm Memery Crystal is advising BGR on the proposed 11 million sale of its signature restaurants - Bank Kingsway, Bank Birmingham and Zander - to Bank Restaurant Group.

BGR is to concentrate on developing its 'Fish!' restaurants, which will also replace the BGR name.

Biddle acted for Bank Restaurant Group.