TDR Capital has announced it is in the final stages of preparing an offer for ASK Central, the pizza and pasta restaurant chain.

TDR is the finance company behind PizzaExpress, and will soon make a bid to top that of the Restaurant Group, the renamed City Centre Restaurants.

However, the Restaurant Group believes it is in the box seat, having received acceptances from 46 per cent of ASK shareholders. It has extended the deadline for its offer until January 26.

TDR, meanwhile, has still got until February 10 to make its offer.