Businessland Inc has made its expected move into the UK, buying Granada Group Plc’s Granada Microcomputer Services Ltd for UKP9.7m in cash. In return for its money, Businessland gains its first eight foreign outlets and a turnover which has grown from UKP8m to around UKP20m in the year ending yesterday. According to Microcomputer Services’ managing director Derek Bytheway, the deal makes sense for all concerned. Our future expansion would have been governed by other businesses in the Granada group with a better rate of return whereas Businessland is committed to expansion. He will continue to run Microcomputer Services. Expansion of the present range to add Apple Macintoshes and Business land’s own-label Wyse PCs as well as the IBMs and Compaqs currently sold, are under consideration. Businessland, the biggest non-fran chise retail computer outlet in the US with a turnover of over $600m, is taking on all of loss-making Microcomputer Services’ 200 staff. Granada retains one computer indus try interest – Computer Field Main tenance bought from STC last year.
