GLASSES are being raised to the management buyout of a £4 million turnover wine merchants in North Yorkshire.

The deal involved Andrew Firth buying Playford Ros, in Thirsk, from Neil Munton, founder chairman and majority shareholder, for an undisclosed sum.

It crowns a dream by 41-year-old Mr Firth who started in the industry as a delivery van driver in London then spent 11 years at the firm, most recently as its managing director.

The organisation employs 25 people and sells more than 850,000 bottles a year, and among its portfolio of hotels, restaurants and conference venues in Yorkshire, regular clients include Harewood House, Rudding Park near Harrogate, Hazlewood Castle, and it supplies all the wines for York-based rail company GNER.

Helping Mr Firth to put together the purchase of the firm were Russell Turner and Richard Feltham, corporate finance directors at York-based chartered accountants Garbutt & Elliott.

Acquisition funding and working capital finance was provided by the specialist finance division of HSBC Bank. Legal advice was provided by Chris Allen, of Blacks Solicitors, in Leeds.

Mr Firth, married with a son and two daughters, comes from a family with a background in the Leeds printing industry. He didn't follow his father into the family business, but he did inherit his interest in fine wines.

After studying hotel management at college he worked at a number of leading hotels in London before entering the wine trade, originally as a van driver. In 1989 he joined Yorkshire Fine Wines where he worked with Nigel Munton for the first time.

Mr Munton later left Yorkshire Fine Wines to found Playford Ros, and Mr Firth joined him there as sales director in 1991. Mr Firth said: "It has been a lifetime ambition of mine to own my own wine business, and now I have achieved it. Nigel Munton's vision and energy have made Playford Ros the well-respected and successful business it is today and I have learned much from working closely with him over these last 11 years.

"Now I am determined to build on that reputation and expertise to take the firm forward. I am very excited at its future potential."

Russell Turner, of Garbutt & Elliott, said: "We are delighted to have been able to help Mr Firth realise his dream. He has the passion and vision to take the business to even more success in the future."

Updated: 09:47 Tuesday, January 07, 2003