ESS Essenden

TIDMESS TIDMTTM

RNS Number : 6386K

Essenden PLC

17 April 2015

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT AN OFFER WILL BE MADE, NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER WILL BE MADE

17 April 2015

Essenden PLC

Extension to deadline in accordance with Rule 2.6(c)

On 20 March 2015, Essenden PLC ("Essenden" or the "Company") announced that it had received a preliminary approach from Harwood Capital LLP ("Harwood") regarding a possible acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company.

In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Harwood must, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 19 April 2015 (the "relevant deadline"), either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Essenden in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement would be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. The Company also announced that the relevant deadline would only be extended with the consent of the Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

At the request of the Board of Essenden, the Panel has consented to an extension of the deadline to 5.00 p.m. on 29 May 2015 by which time Harwood must either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Essenden under Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for Essenden. This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

The Board of Essenden is continuing its discussions with Harwood and the anticipated timetable for the completion of these discussions is consistent with the newly extended deadline.

There can be no certainty that these discussions will lead to an offer being made for the Company, nor as to the terms on which any offer may be made. Should a satisfactory offer not be forthcoming from Harwood, the Board of Essenden will continue to examine a range of strategic options which could further enhance shareholder value given recent and potential corporate activity in the bowling sector.

A copy of this announcement will be available on the Company's website www.essenden.com. The content of this website is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement.

Enquiries:

Essenden Plc Tel: 020 8879 3932

Nick Basing

Richard Darwin

Cenkos Securities plc Tel: 020 7397 8900

Nicholas Wells, Max Hartley (Corporate Finance)

Dealing Disclosure Requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Takeover Code. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) of the Takeover Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a paper offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Takeover Code).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

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