Off-licences Thresher and Victoria Wines are set to merge.
The owners of the chains, Whitbread and Allied Domecq have been holding secret talks to create the country’s most powerful off-licence business with 3,000 branches.
A deal could prove a headache to new DTI minister Peter Mandelson who will probably have to approve the merger.
Sunday Telegraph 02/08/98 page 1
