Video Island and ScreenSelect join to treble rentals

Online rental service Video Island has merged with rival ScreenSelect, and the combined group intends to treble business within 12 months.

The group, to be called Video Island, expects to deliver 300,000 rentals in September - the equivalent to about 70 high street stores it claims - but expects that monthly figure to triple within the year.

Video Island boss Saul Klein is chief executive of the new group. ScreenSelect founders William Reeve and Alex Chesterman are chief operating officer and chief commercial officer respectively.

Klein said the merger will help the retailer 'put some clear water' between itself and rivals such as Blockbuster.