The owner of Williams Advanced Engineering is the leading contender to buy TeamSport, the pan-European operator of go-karting circuits.

Sky News understands that EMK Capital, a London-based private equity firm, has emerged as the frontrunner to acquire the business.

The price is expected to be in the region of £150m.

Livingbridge and 3i Group were among the other buyout firms which had expressed interest in TeamSport.

The go-karting group is owned by Duke Street, one of the UK’s best-known buyout firms and the former owner of Wagamama.

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It trades from 35 sites in the UK, three in Germany and two in the Netherlands.

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TeamSport operates within an activities and attractions market worth £73bn across the three countries.

Prospective buyers are said to have been attracted by the potential to grow it to 200 sites across its existing markets alone.

Harris Williams, the investment bank, is overseeing the auction.

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EMK did not respond to enquiries, while Duke Street declined to comment.

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