Diageo poised for Bushmills takeover

GUINNESS owner Diageo has swooped to buy Irish whiskey maker Bushmills for €295 million.

The deal is conditional on French drinks group Pernod Ricard, which currently owns the Bushmills brand through its Irish Distillers subsidiary, succeeding in its €11.2bn bid for rival drinks group Allied Domecq.

Allied Domecq shareholders are expected to back the deal at an extraordinary general meeting early next month.