Boylesports fails in bid to get Ladbrokes details

A prospective bidder for the troubled Ladbrokes chain of bookmakers has failed to get a High Court order directing it be provided with information which it claimed was necessary for it to make a competitive bid.

Boylesports wanted the examiner appointed to Ladbrokes to provide information which it said was necessary to allow it proceed with its bid for the chain which in 2013 had a turnover of € 449 million from 196 shops with 840 employees.

Examiner Ken Fennell of Deloitte, and Ladrokes, both opposed the application.

The court heard the information sought included turnover by store for the last three years, the number of betting slips issued by each store in that period and details of leases.

Boylesports claimed Mr Fennell was withholding important information necessary to make “an effective financial offer”.

Mr Fennell argued bidders had been given sufficient information and the company could be irreparably damaged by providing commercially sensitive information to competitors.

Mr Justice Brian Cregan ruled the decision to withhold was properly made within the scope of the examiner's commercial judgment.