Members of the Doyle family have further increased their stake in the Jurys Doyle Hotel Group to 29.9%.
According to a statement from NCB Stockbrokers to the Irish Stock Exchange today, a company called Netherfields Developments - which is controlled by members of the Doyle family - bought 669,354 shares in the company yesterday at a price of €18.50.
Earlier this week, the family bought over 2.6 million shares to bring their stake in the hotel group to 28.8%, which means that they have significant control of the future of the company.
If the family's stake goes above the 29.9% mark, its members will have to make an outright approach for the hotel group. The three Doyle sisters are reported to have signed a pact between them to ensure that they will vote together on any proposals for the chain.
Meanwhile, developer Sean Dunne bought another 50,000 shares at €18.25 yesterday to bring his stake to just under 22%.
Shares in Jurys Doyle closed down 20 cent to €17.95 in Dublin.
