North-East entertainment firm Vimac Leisure has been vindicated for its decision to add successful business titles to its group.

In the past year, Vimac snapped up North Yorkshire gourmet seafood restaurant and hotel combo, the Crab & Lobster and Crab Manor at Asenby near Thirsk, and Glasgow nightlife hotspot Victorias.

Having invested more than £8m in that period, the company yesterday announced turnover was up 73 per cent in the past six months and trading profits had risen by 37 per cent.

Vimac is now looking at other UK locations to add to its list of leisure venues, which include Durham city nightclubs DH1 and Caf Rock.

The company now employs more than 200 people in the UK and is on course to fulfil its goal of floating on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) by 2004.

Managing director Paul Mackings said: "We are extremely pleased with these results, which vindicate our strategy of acquiring successful businesses and adding only our team's management expertise to the formats that have made each of them successful in the first place.

"Victorias, the Crab & Lobster and Crab Manor all have an extremely loyal clientele and we have been very happy with the feedback we have had from them since we took over.

"Vimac is committed to expanding through similar acquisitions during the coming year, and we are already in discussions with a number of businesses right across the country which we believe would enhance our venue portfolio."