Duke Street Capital is understood to be in discussions with Esporta's former chief executive and finance director over returning to buy out the company six months after selling it, after the UK leisure chain's parent was forced into administration last week.

Bell Leisure was forced into bankruptcy last week, jeopardising a £30m (€44m) loan note supplied to the leisure chain by Duke Street, when it sold the company in February to Simon Halabi, a Syria-born investor and Britain's 14th richest man, for £470m. Neil Gillis, Esporta's former chief executive, left following the deal.