Market still sees merger of AG Barr and Britvic as a winner

Roger White is staying mum on his drinks group AG Barr's £1.4bn merger with rival Britvic.

Until the first Takeover Panel deadline of 3 October, his lawyers will not let him say anything other than that "the talks are ongoing".

But the stock market is convinced not only that the deal makes sense but also that it will go ahead.

It may be that both sides ask for an extension as they finalise the deal which would give Britvic 63 per cent of the enlarged business.

In the meantime Mr White, above, says Barr, the maker of IrnBru and Rubicon drinks, coped well in the worst summer for 100 years.

For the six months to the end of July revenues rose by 4.9 per cent to £130m while pre-tax profits slipped from £16.2m to £14.9m.