Merchant Equity Partners is set to emerge as the new owner of MFI Furniture Group’s loss-making retail division.
It is thought that veteran banker Henry Jackson’s Merchant’s proposal is the frontrunner, ahead of Apax and Argyll Partners, to buy the 200 stores.
Final bids are due in on Monday.
MFI is expected to confirm that it will pay between £100m and £200m for the chain.
References: The Mail on Sunday 16 July 2006 Financial Mail Page 5; The Sunday Telegraph 16 July 2006 Business Page 2
