MAG could be set to offload Bournemouth Airport

Speculation is mounting that Manchester Airports Group is teeing up the sale of Bournemouth Airport which it owns.

This follows a report of several visits by one of the UK’s wealthiest men, Sir Peter Rigby, to the airport.

Sir Peter is chairman of Rigby Group PLC, which already owns Blackpool, City of Derry, Coventry, Exeter, Norwich and Solent airports.

The Bournemouth Echo said sources reported him spotted being given a tour of the site.

The source said: “While the meeting took place, the helicopter was used to carry out a pre-planned detailed photographic survey of the airport site.”

MAG, also the owner of East Midlands and Stansted as well as Manchester Airports, has invested £50m in Bournemouth Airport since buying it in 2001.

A spokesman for MAG said: “We do not comment on rumour and speculation.”