Trocadero may sue sports stars' restaurant chain

A glittering array of sporting stars including Tiger Woods, the golfer, and Monica Seles and Andre Agassi, the tennis players, could be dragged into a multi-million pound legal battle, it emerged yesterday.

Trocadero, the British leisure group, has threatened to sue All Star Cafe, the restaurant chain run by Planet Hollywood and part-owned by the some of the biggest names in the sporting world.

It claims that All Star Cafe has reneged on an agreement to open a new restaurant at its flagship leisure complex in London's West End, which was due to be completed early this year.

It is now looking to pursue legal action against the restaurant chain in conjunction with Burford, the property group that used to own Trocadero.

All Star Cafe denied the claims, alleging the site was not ready when it wanted to start work on the new restaurant. It has already lined up an alternative site in London, which it plans to open this year.

Trocadero was planning to charge pounds 1m a year rent to All Star Cafe, and stood to receive a payment of pounds 14m from Burford if the deal was completed.

Investment column, page 22