13.11.2003

Most fab deal: Manchester firm George Davies acted for Manchester businessman Brian Fisher in negotiating the loan of one of John Lennon's suits to Liverpool museum The Beatles Story.

Mr Fisher bought the suit many years ago and has now decided that it should be made available to the public.

The museum was represented by one of its directors.

Sweetest deal: US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges' London office advised Premier Foods on its acquisition for an undisclosed sum of the Ambrosia desserts business from Unilever.

Slaughter and May acted for Unilever, and Allen & Overy advised JP Morgan, which was the lead financing bank for Premier Foods.

Most spacious deal: City firm Taylor Wessing acted for Stannifer Developments in securing a 150,000 sq ft pre-let in High Wycombe to House of Fraser, advised by City firm Field Fisher Waterhouse - part of a proposed 200 million redevelopment of High Wycombe town centre.

Best-spun deal: South-west firm Thring Townsend acted for PR firm Nelson Bostock Communications in its 11 million sale to Creston, advised by London's Olswang.

Most revved-up deal: North-west firm DWF advised motor dealership Smith Knight Fay on its acquisition of Links Audi in Macclesfield for an undisclosed sum.

Links Audi was represented by Gorvins in Stockport, while Laytons in Manchester advised the funder, Royal Bank of Scotland.

Most communicative deal: Heatons' Manchester office has advised IT and telecoms company Xpert Group on its acquisition of Genesis Telecommunications in London, advised by Blake Lapthorn in Southampton.

Best cast deal: Birmingham's Shakespeares advised the management team in a 3 million management buy-in of aluminium foundry Alucast.

West Bromwich firm Clark Brookes advised Alucast and Gateley Wareing in Birmingham acted for Bank of Scotland, which provided the financing.

Alucast is the only UK foundry to perform sand, gravity and pressure diecasting in-house.