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Linklaters and Eversheds fuel TDR Capital’s £1.3bn stake in Euro Garages

Eversheds and Linklaters have won key roles on TDR Capital’s £1.3bn investment in Euro Garages, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned forecourt operators.

Linklaters acted for TDR Capital, the London-based private equity house  that owns rival company European Forecourt Retail Group, while Eversheds advised Euro Garages, the Lancashire-based company owned by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa which has 180 freehold-owned sites predominantly located across the North West, North East, Yorkshire, Midlands and Wales.

The deal was led on the Eversheds side by corporate partners Daniel Hall and Robin Skelton alongside partners Nick Swiss, Jason Wurzal and Phillip Tunney. Partner David Holdsworth led for Linklaters while Rothschild also acted as financial adviser to Euro Garages and the Issa family.

Hall, who has advised the Issa brothers for 20 years, said it underlined one of Britain’s biggest business successes in recent years, and had propelled Euro Garages to become one of Europe’s leading fuel retailers.

Mohsin Issa added: ‘We have been very impressed with the commitment and professionalism of the Eversheds team who worked on this deal. The team delivered quickly and efficiently, a testament to the firm’s effective leadership and a strong work ethic demonstrated by all.’

Euro Garages, which was founded in 2001, has grown rapidly in recent months, acquiring over 170 new sites as well as purchasing 48 forecourts from EXXON Mobil’s Esso unit last year. The company listed its turnover at the end of July 2013 as £439m, and currently employs over 1,800 members of staff.

kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk