GM drops Toner writ

Gardner Merchant (GM) has dropped its High Court writ against Bill Toner, former managing director of its corporate division.

The contract caterer launched the writ to stop Toner from starting a job with rival contract caterer Aramark. It claimed that Toner, who has been on gardening leave since giving a year's notice on 15 September 1999, had breached his employment contract by taking up the Aramark job in December.

Last week GM's chief executive David Ford admitted there would be no court case.

"Bill Toner and GM have reached a perfectly agreeable situation whereby GM's interests are protected and Bill Toner can get on with his life," he said.

Toner's former deputy, Nigel Forbes has taken over the role of managing director of the corporate division as a joint position with Richard Muir, who previously had responsibility for Scotland and some individual contracts.

GM is to formerly adopt the Sodexho Alliance name, that of its French parent company, on the 21 February.