UK - Rothschild leads bid for MFI Retail

The Times today reports that Rothschild has joined forces with Merchant Equity Partners to launch a bid for the retail division of MFI. The ailing retail arm of MFI Furniture recorded losses of ТЃ85m in 2005 and it is thought that the vendor will have to offer a ТЃ270m incentive to any bidders to take on the 200 MFI stores to cover the pensions deficit, lease obligations and falling sales at the business.