The six executive directors of fruit distribution group Fyffes shared total remuneration of £1.48 million last year, an average of almost £250,000 each.

The £1.48 million payments were a 30 per cent increase on 1995 when the six directors shared £1.1 million.

Basic salaries for the six directors rose from £881,000 to £1.06 million while performance bonuses rose from £172,000 to £312,000. Pension contributions rose from £80,000 to £103,000. Jurys gets planning permission:

Jurys Hotel Group has received planning permission to increase the number of bedrooms in its planned development at Pentonville Road, London from 168 to 220.

This would bring down the site cost per bedroom by £2,500 to £7,900 "which represents excellent value", said managing director, Mr Peter Malone.

The group purchased the one-acre site with full planning permission for a 168-bedroom hotel for £1.75 million last October. When it made the purchase, Jurys sought planning permission from Islington Council to increase the number of bedrooms to 220 to further enhance the potential of the development.

The new Jurys Inn scheduled to be opened in June 1998, will cost £12.5 million when the cost of the site is included.

Mr Malone noted the difficulty in obtaining planning permission for hotel developments in central London. The new planning permission "appreciates the value of the acquisition, while driving down our investment cost per bedroom".

The site is 10 minutes walk from Kings Cross and St Pancras stations and two minutes from Angel tube station and High Street, Islington.