Director Raj Kumar buys Western & Oriental's top travel brands

Western & Oriental, which boasted broadcaster and journalist Andrew Neil as its chairman until he resigned last month, today said it would sell off most of its travel business.

The luxury travel brands, which include W&O and Regent, are being bought for £1 million by Raj Kumar, a director of the company.

He has already lent the business £800,000 so will pay a further £200,000 in cash.