Sky News – Luke Johnson in three-way battle to acquire Ed’s Easy Diner: Sector investor Luke Johnson is involved in a three-way battle to acquire Ed’s Easy Diner, Sky News reports. Risk Capital Partners, the private equity firm founded by Johnson, is vying with two rivals to buy the group. A deal to inject fresh capital into Ed’s Easy Diner is expected to be agreed in the coming days, with some insiders suggesting today (Friday, 7 October) that it could be structured as a pre-pack administration. Johnson is one of Britain’s best-known businessmen, having set up, run and invested in a string of companies. A former chairman of Channel 4, he spearheaded the expansion of PizzaExpress into one of the UK’s biggest restaurant groups. Among the other brands he has owned shares in or controlled are The Ivy, Gaucho, Patisserie Valerie, Strada and Gail’s Bakery. Johnson’s interest in Ed’s Easy Diner has pitched him against RCapital, a former owner of Little Chef, the roadside diners, and an unidentified bidder. The chain’s auction, which comes less than a year after it launched an earlier sale process, is being overseen by corporate financiers at KPMG. Johnson declined to comment. Sources said the talks would not necessarily lead to a change of ownership, but added lenders to Ed’s Easy Diner were pressing for an urgent change in its financing arrangement. The restaurant group, which offers customers a slice of 1950s Americana, operates from about 60 sites across the UK and recently announced plans to open at least ten more in train stations, airports and visitor attractions through a partnership with SSP. Ed’s Easy Diner’s main shareholders include Andrew Guy, who returned as its chief executive earlier this year following the decision to terminate the earlier auction. Reports at the time suggested that the chain’s owners had been looking for offers of about £100m.