Pressure is growing on Moss Bros

FASHION entrepreneur Shami Ahmed plans to step up his campaign to woo Moss Bros shareholders amid signs of growing frustration with the company's management.

Ahmed, who has a 5.4% stake in Moss Bros, said last year he was considering making a bid. He has since met some of the family shareholders who speak for 38% of the shares.

There have been reports that the Moss family and the Gee family, whose shareholding results from the group's merger with Cecil Gee in 1988, are split about the future direction of the company.

Insiders suggest there is little friction, but there is concern about the management set-up at Moss Bros, which is being run by non-executive chairman Keith Hammill while the search goes on for a managing director.

The company is expected to report losses of about £6 million for last year.