So there was, after all, yet another twist in the tale in the bid battle for a long-established Scottish company.

However, while the bidder now poised to take over the Edinburgh-based company has regained pole position after being outbid for a while, one crucial point remains the same.

This is that Scotland is set to lose another publicly quoted company headquarters.

And such losses are always regrettable, with the degree of lament dictated by what the acquirer does after the takeover, given the importance of having the top-level decision-making made in Scotland with all the benefits that brings for the professional services and other sectors north of the Border.

It has seemed pretty much inevitable for months now that Scotland is set to lose the head office of Capricorn Energy.

This business, formerly known as Cairn Energy, was founded by former Scotland rugby international winger Sir Bill Gammell back in the 1980s and listed on the stock market in 1988. Sir Bill stepped down as chairman in 2014.

The oil and gas independent, which has gone through many changes in its geographic points of focus over the decades, is currently concentrating on Egypt.

The bidder now in the box seat is London-based Genel Energy, with rival suitor DNO of Norway having effectively walked away.

DNO even wished Genel “every bit of luck”.

The Norwegian group said on Monday that it would not raise its bid for Capricorn Energy.

This followed Genel raising its offer for Capricorn Energy to $436 million last Friday.

DNO noted on Monday that Genel’s announcement included a statement that the London-based company’s bid vehicle........

© Herald Scotland