PRESS DIGEST - Sunday British business - March 3

LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - SUNDAY TIMES

BAE EYES GRANDEES AS NEW CHAIRMAN

BAE Systems is considering current Centrica chairman Roger Carr and Rothschild Deputy Chairman John Rose as candidates for the job to start in 2014.

BRITAIN'S BIGGEST COALMINE COULD CLOSE NEXT WEEK

Britain's largest coal mine Daw Mill could be shut down as early as next week, putting 650 jobs at risk, after a fire raged in the pit there for more than a week.

GERMANS SOFTEN ON BANKER BONUS CAP

Finance ministers of France and Germany are said to be softening their stance on the bankers' bonus cap deal agreed on Friday applying beyond the borders of the EU.

MANCHESTER AIRPORTS GROUP BIDDING FOR CHICAGO MIDWAY AIRPORT

Manchester Airports Group is preparing a $2 billion joint bid with Australian infrastructure investor Industry Funds Management to buy Chicago Midway airport. The sale will be the first privatisation of a large American airport.

SOUTH AFRICAN MINER THARISA PLOTS 200 MLN STG LONDON IPO

South African platinum miner Tharisa Minerals has hired Macquarie and HSBC to lead a London share offering that could value to company at 200 million pounds ($300.2 million).

AXMINSTER DIRECTOR IN TALKS TO SAVE FIRM FROM BANKRUPTCY

British carpet maker Axminster is in talks with turnaround firm RCapital Partners to try to avoid having to appoint an administrator.

CENTRICA SEEKING INVESTORS FOR 2 BLN STG WIND FARM

Centrica has hired Credit Suisse and Rothschild to find partners to shoulder the 2 billion pounds ($3 billion) construction cost of the Race Bank wind farm in the North Sea. China Datang, the nation's second biggest utility, is said to have already expressed interest.

BETFAIR WINS US ONLINE GAMBLING DEAL

Betfair has won a contract to take over 4NJbets.com, the only horse race betting website in New Jersey offering "account wagering", where gamblers must deposit money before being allowed to bet. The move is unrelated to the state's decision last week to allow online gambling.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

BRITISH DRINKS INDUSTRY ATTACKS 'UNFAIR' ALCOHOL PRICING PLANS

A report by the Scottish Whiskey Association said that government plans to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol would "unfairly" disadvantage European producers importing alcohol to the UK and lead to other countries introducing copycat trade barriers.