Group Armagh UK and Ageas have sworn one another to silence for a period of four weeks while they huddle and haggle over the former’s mooted sale to the latter. It was for precisely this reason that the Group Armagh contingent at today’s Insurance Endurance karting event in Milton Keynes would say nothing about the matter.
As the (still just about) French-owned insurer’s two teams, mysteriously named Au Revoir UK and Bon Chance, hurtled round the track at literally quite fast speeds, the Group Armagh boys remained resolutely tight-lipped about the fact that the UK operations of Group Armagh (pronounced Group-ama) are being sold to Ageas (pronounced a-gay-ass, we think, probably).
Nor were they willing to speculate upon the future of their mascot Anton the Ant, who may now be looking for fresh opportunities. If any Bankstone News reader believes their own company may be lacking the charm and character that only a not-too-big-not-too-small insect can bring to their marketing, please consider Anton, who, like Johnny Vegas’ friend Monkeh who famously switched from ITV Digital to PG Tips, may shortly be open to offers. Maybe another insurance firm might want to pick up that whole “small enought to care” thing. Hell, we’d have him ourselves in a flash, if it weren’t for Mrs Bankstone News’ irrational fear of giant bipedal insects.
The fact that Anton (known to be a keen karting aficionado) was not present on the day, could perhaps be significant in itself. Representatives of Carole Nash (who also arrived without their cuddly mascot former boss Carole Nash) were also at the Insurance Endurance event today, but, as yet, could add nothing to the discussion Group Armagh resoluted refused to have about being sold by French parents.
For Group Armagh, at least, however, it looks as though what Insurance Age colourfully termed a “period of limbo” may finally be nearing its end.
Although (clearly) nothing was said on the topic of the proposed takeover at the trackside, Bankstone News believes it may have gleaned one snippet of information. It is this. Whereas Insurance Times suggested that Ageas had “swooped” on Group Armagh, a source (not, obviously, anyone from that company) may have let slip in Bankstone News’ presence that it was in fact not so much a swoop as a pounce.
You read it here first!
No responses yet