DODS.L Regulatory News (DODS)

25 Aug 2005 17:12

Huveaux PLC25 August 2005 Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States,Australia, Canada, Japan or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitutea violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction For immediate release 25 August 2005 Recommended Offer by Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Limited on behalf of Huveaux PLC ("Huveaux") for Epic Group plc ("Epic") Posting of compulsory acquisition notice Huveaux announces that as at 3.00 p.m. on 25 August 2005, valid acceptances ofthe Offer had been received in respect of 21,802,647 Epic Shares, representingapproximately 90.16 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital ofEpic. As valid acceptances of the Offer have been received in respect of more than 90per cent. in value of Epic Shares to which the Offer relates, Huveaux intends toapply the provisions of sections 428-430F of the Companies Act 1985 to acquirecompulsorily all outstanding Epic Shares under the terms of the Offer.Accordingly, Huveaux will be shortly posting formal notices under section 429 ofthe Companies Act 1985 to Epic Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer. The Offer will remain open until further notice. As previously announced, application has been made to the London Stock Exchangefor the trading of Epic Shares on AIM to be cancelled. The cancellation ofadmission will take effect on 20 September 2005. Words and expressions defined in the Offer Document dated 28 July 2005 shallhave the same meaning when used in this announcement. Copies of the documentsposted to Epic Shareholders on 28 July 2005 are available for inspection at theDocument Viewing Facility of the UK Listing Authority at The Financial ServicesAuthority, 25 The North Colonnade, London E14 5HS. Enquiries: Huveaux 020 7245 0270John van Kuffeler, Executive Chairman Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein (Financial advisor to Huveaux) 020 7623 8000Charles BattenJoe Thompson Finsbury (Public Relations advisor to Huveaux) 020 7251 3801James LevitonKatie LangDon Hunter Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, which is authorised and regulated by theFinancial Services Authority, is acting for Huveaux and for no-one else inconnection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other thanHuveaux for providing the protections afforded to customers of DresdnerKleinwort Wasserstein, or for providing advice in relation to the Offer or anymatters referred to herein. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange