BRITISH hotelier Forte has bowed to shareholder pressure and said it would split the roles of chairman and chief executive. But analysts echoed criticism from predator Granada that the move was too little too late.

Sir Rocco Forte, who currently holds the top two positions, said in a statement that Sir Anthony Tennant would become non executive chairman from February 1st.

Sir Anthony, who has been deputy chairman of Forte for the past three years, called himself a "shareholders man" and said he was confident Forte would be successful in fighting off Granada's hostile £3.8 billion bid.

Granada chief executive Mr Gerry Robinson called the move "nothing but a titular change". Sir Anthony responded that Mr Robinson's remarks were "Irish blarney".

Analysts, however, said Forte was swimming upstream in its efforts to see off Granada's bid, and the change was unlikely to turn the tide in Forte's favour.

Granada's shares rose 7p to 670p on the London Stock Exchange. Forte's fell 4p to 365p.

Forte has mounted a strong defence against the Granada bid, including the proposed sale of its roadside restaurant and Travelodge budget hotel businesses to Whitbread.