Pizzaland Express Plc, formerly Star Computer Group Plc, is selling its computer business back to its original owner. The food chain, which reversed into the Star Computer Group after being taken over by it in January, is selling the computer business – always an awkward fit with pizza restaurants, back to David Blechner. Star originally acquired PizzaExpress to increase its own share price and provide the restaurant chain with a cheap way to market. The sale, for ?2.2m, had always been planned according to PizzaExpress staff, who said that the two businesses were hardly compatible – not what what was said in January. Managing director David Page said that while the computer business was profitable, PizzaExpress could make better use of its money in Pizza restaurants. There was only one member of the board who knew anything about computing, said Page, and that was David Blechner. The Star Group, which had been operating as an independent subsidiary within PizzaExpress, was demerged by the food company into three separate trading subsidiaries. Blechner will distribute some of his shares in the company around his employees, according to PizzaExpress managing director David Page. Blechner was not available for comment, but PizzaExpress will reportedly retain 20% of his company, worth ?400,000, but has granted him a three-year option to buy the minority stake.
