More than a year on from its acquisition of Matthew Clark and Bibendum, drinks distributor and Magners cider maker C&C Group has toasted the move as it eyes a place on the FTSE 250.

In an interview with PA, C&C chief executive Stephen Glancey also admitted that Brexit had played a role in the timing of the company's recent decision to switch to a London listing, but called it a "side issue".

Current shareholders based in the UK are likely to find a sole London listing easier once the UK leaves the EU.

"We're now the biggest distributor of beverages in the British Isles," he said.

"We are Irish-domiciled, Irish-headquartered, Irish taxpayers, but since the Matthew Clark acquisition, it would be best to investigate the possibility of a London listing."

READ MORE: Tennent’s owner moves stock market listing to London

The firm announced earlier this month that it was seeking to abandon its dual-listed status by leaving Euronext Dublin and trading solely on the London Stock Exchange.

It comes just over a year after the company acquired Matthew Clark and Bibendum, which had previously formed the distribution arm of the collapsed drinks firm Conviviality.

Having returned the business to "normalised levels" immediately following the takeover, Mr Glancey said C&C was now trying to undo some of the changes made to the businesses while they were under the Conviviality umbrella.

"This year we're trying to simplify the business, to get it back to where it was in 2015, through cost reduction, warehouse efficiencies and getting control of finances," he said.

By moving to a London listing, C&C hopes to open up to a "deep pool" of investors, which will help it with future plans.

Mr Glancey said that next year's focus will be "optimisation" as the group invests in technology and sustainability efforts.

The company is also prepared to take advantage of a no-deal Brexit, should any overseas drinks manufacturers face problems getting products into the UK.

READ MORE: Tennent’s chief hails impact of major acquisition

Mr Glancey said there is spare capacity at C&C's Glasgow brewery, the home of Tennent's Lager, where other brands could be brewed under licence.

In the group's own brands, growth is set to come from innovation in Britain's booming cider market.

"You're getting a move to flavours and differentiation," Mr Glancey said.

"If you look at the cider market in the UK, the fruit flavours - especially Strongbow Dark Fruits - has driven the category and brought in a few new entrants. Apple cider has declined but we've picked up market share."

Premier Inn owner Whitbread said it has completed a programme to return £2.5 billion to shareholders after it sold its Costa Coffee chain to Coca-Cola last year.

Whitbread said £2 billion is being returned to shareholders via a purchase of its own shares at a price of 4,972p per share in the latest phase of the capital return programme.

The shareholder payout comes after the hospitality group completed the £3.9 billion sale of Costa to Coca-Cola last year.

The latest £2 billion phase of the capital return programme from May to July came after the firm's first phase of the programme, which saw £482 million worth of shares repurchased.

READ MORE: Premier Inn hotel chain 'to double in size'

It said the offer was oversubscribed, and the aggregate value of shares exceeded £2 billion.

Whitbread's shares have been in a rich vein of form over the past 18 months, rising by around 30% over the period after it was buoyed by the sale of its high street coffee shop business.

Proceeds of the deal have been given back to shareholders, as well as being used to pay down debt and boost its pension fund.

Whitbread acquired Costa in 1995 for £19 million from founders Sergio and Bruno Costa when it had only 39 shops.

It grew to have more than 2,400 outlets and embark on overseas expansion before it was snapped up by the US drinks giant.

Shares in the company sank on the share return news, falling by 1.6% to 4,825p in early trading on Monday.

Metro Bank has confirmed that discussions are taking place over the sale of its loan portfolio.

The affirmation to investors follows reports that the high street bank is closing on a £500 million deal to offload its mortgage portfolio to a US hedge fund.

Metro Bank has been eyeing up ways to improve its financial position following a torrid few months following a major accounting error.

US hedge fund Cerberus Capital Management is tipped to snap up the loan portfolio, according to Sky News.

The news comes just days before Metro Bank is set to provide its latest interim results announcement on Wednesday.