27.11.2003

Booziest deal: Allen & Overy provided pub and bar operator Mitchells & Butlers with corporate and finance advice, and fellow City firm Eversheds gave property advice, on the company's 1.9 billion securitisation of most of its licensed estate.

It operates chains including All Bar One, O'Neills, Vintage Inns and Harvester.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, the lead arranger, was advised by Clifford Chance.

Most intelligent deal: North-west firm DWF acted for Yorkshire-based Readymarket (to be renamed Access Intelligence) on its admission to the Alternative Investment Market and acquisition of subscription-based services and software business Access Intelligence.

Cobbetts and Addleshaw Goddard acted for the vendors of Access and its subsidiaries, while Manchester's Fox Brooks Marshall acted for WH Ireland, the nominated adviser and broker.

Most leg-before deal: London firm Mishcon de Reya acted for the West Indies Cricket Board on signing the host agreement for the 2007 World Cup with the International Cricket Council, advised by City firm Simmons & Simmons.

Best breakfasted deal: The London office of US firm Weil Gotshal & Manges is acting for Hicks Muse Tate & Furst on its proposed acquisition of Weetabix, advised by Ashurst Morris Crisp, which values Weetabix at 642 million.

Allen & Overy is representing JP Morgan as financial adviser to Hicks Muse.

Cleanest deal: City-based Beachcroft Wansbroughs represented Johnson Cleaners on its purchase of the retail division of Brooks Service Group - made up of 38 dry-cleaning shops - advised by Bristol firm TLT.

Most micro deal: The Guildford office of Clyde & Co acted for IT services group Microgen on its 18 million takeover of MMT Computing, advised by Addleshaw Goddard.

Best constructed deal: The Leeds office of Hammonds acted for Jewson on its acquisition for an undisclosed sum of builders' merchant Roger W Jones of Rhyl, north Wales, advised by Colwyn Bay firm Howell Hughes & Co.

Most indebted deal: South-east firm Thomas Eggar acted for the Guernsey-based Glanmore Property Fund on securing additional bank debt - a 160 million five-year syndicated facility, arranged by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The initial lenders are the Royal Bank and the Bank of Scotland, both advised by City firm Howard Kennedy.

Glanmore was also advised by Scottish firm Pagan Business, Crill Canavan in Jersey and Guernsey's Ozannes.