The Granada takeover of Forte: a managerial perspective

Reviews the acquisition of Forte plc, the longest established UK hotel company, by Granada plc. The Granada Group, a television and leisure conglomerate, launched a £3.3 billion hostile takeover bid for Forte on 22 November 1995, in one of the UK’s most expensive takeovers this decade. This marked the end of family control of a hotel group created by Lord Forte in the 1930s. Identifies the factors underpinning Granada’s success and in particular managerial style and approach.