Royal Doulton deal gets go-ahead

THE planned takeover of British chinaware manufacturer Royal Doulton by Waterford Wedgwood came a step closer yesterday after shareholders in the troubled luxury goods group gave the go-ahead to a €100 million rights issue to finance the deal.

Shareholders who gathered at an extraordinary general meeting in Dublin voted in favour of the rights issue, which will allow them to buy five shares in the group for every three they own at a discounted price of 6c.

Waterford shares traded 2% higher yesterday at 8.7c.