Published Date:
30 July 2008
By Staff reporter
OVER half a century of involvement in local bookmaking by the Duffy family is expected to end with the sale of the remainder of their business.
Nine shops owned by Central Bookmakers in the city and county are to be apparently sold to Ballymena-based firm McLean’s.
Details of the deal are expected to emerge in the coming weeks. Should the sale go ahead it is estimated to be worth £10 million.
The chain owns one premises in the Waterside, at Top of the Hill.
Manager of Central Bookmakers, Sean Gallagher confirmed there was “substance to the rumours”.
“I can confirm that we are in the process of doing a deal with McLean Bookmakers, but as yet, we have not signed anything over or finalised the details,” he said.
County Antrim based McLean’s are thought to be the biggest independent chain of turf accountants in Northern Ireland and recently acquired the former William Hill shops across the Province.
The Duffy brothers, William and Brendan took over from their late father to establish both the North West and Central chains.
William Duffy sold-off the 14 shop chain of North West Bookmakers to Ladbrokes in a multi-million pound deal in 2006. He is now the chief stakeholder in Lifford Greyhound Stadium.
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Last Updated:
28 July 2008 7:18 PM
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Source:
Londonderry Sentinel
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Location:
Waterside
