PRESS DIGEST - British Business press - Feb 23 =9

Pret a Manger has been acquired by private equity group Bridgepoint for a fee in the region of 345 million pounds, though founders and management team Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham are buying back a "significant" minority share as part of the deal. McDonald's (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is to sell its 33 percent stake in the sandwich chain, which last year reported sales of 223 million pounds, while Metcalfe said that the buyout group "shares our vision, understands our culture and will support our roll-out plan globally, while maintaining everything that makes Pret work for our customers and staff."

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants