Licensed industry sources have suggested that Tom Anderson, part of the Ward Anderson family group which operates many of the country's cinemas, has agreed to become an investor in Thomas Read if the management's bid to take the chain out of examinership is successful.

Anderson, who could not be contacted for comment, is executive chairman of Circle Oil and is a board member of Lansdowne Oil & Gas. Amongst the companies he has backed is Captive Audience Display Solutions
(C-Ads) and he is also a shareholder in Minmet, the exploration company. He is a son of Kevin Anderson, who founded Ireland's largest cinema group, Ward Anderson with Leo Ward.

Last week, the High Court appointed a liquidator to four of the companies in the Thomas Read group which are believed to operate three Dublin bars within the group: the Floridita Life Bar on Abbey Street, Bodega in Dún Laoghaire and Thomas Read's in Smithfield. The other nine companies are continuing to operate under court protection during an extended examinership period.