I've been collecting these shares on a off for the last 4 years! Origonally for the dividend, which used to be really good, still not bad as I carried on purchasing as the price dropping accordingly!

The shares went up 22% today - if I'm not carefully I could actually be showing a healthy profit on them!

Congratulations to Cynic from reading this post back from today - a very good call.

My query is that with an indicative 670p + possibly 5-8p dividend as well, even with the competition commission threat is the current 640 sp too bearish.

Buying now if the above offer pans out gives a 5% return after costs, which possibly might have to wait for 3-4 months, but that's not bad against possibly a rough 2nd half for the market generally.

Am I being overly optimistic?

no you're not though with sp now at 640 you may think of better places to invest .... as a holder already i am very happy to sit back and wait

unless something extraordinary happens, the deal looks done and dusted @ 670 + 5 divi ..... likley completion in November ..... with sp at a silly 639, this is surely a very safe place to put money with an annualised return surely in mid teens