P529ORACLE 529 Mon30 Dec C4 1732:44
ARGYLL BID 'TOO LOW'
SAYS DISTILLERS
The Johnnie Walker whisky and Gordon's
gin group Distillers has written to
shareholders urgin them to reject the
£1.9bn bid from Argyll Group.
Chairman John Connell said the spirits
company was the most profitable in the
world and Argyll's offer was "too low!
and "debt ridden".
"Argyll is unsuited for the stewardship
of the scotch whisky industry because
the majority of its business is as a UK
discount supermarket operatgr," he said
Argyll chairman Jimmy Gulliver said
Distillers claims "amaze me".
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