THE owners of bingo hall chain Gala yesterday announced its second financial restructuring in less than a year.

The £1.3bn refinancing is part of a wider overhaul valuing the company at £1.89bn, including debt, and comes after the group reportedly abandoned a bid to float on the stock market earlier this year.

A new investor, Permira, will join Gala's two private equity owners, Candover and Cinven, which backed a £1.24bn purchase of Gala in March 2003.

Private equity firm Permira is to pay about £200m for a 30 per cent holding in the company.