IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Trouble brewing?

Whittard of Chelsea, the 122-year-old coffee and tea specialist owned by Baugur Group Hf, is on the brink of administration, putting 500 jobs at risk, the Independent said, without saying where it obtained its information.

Baugur, which has lined up Ernst & Young LLP as administrator, received up to five bids for Whittard by Dec 12, none of which met its asking price, the newspaper said. Baugur declined to comment, the Independent reported.