THE Ministry of Defence was adamant yesterday that the shortlist to berth the royal yacht Britannia, announced in December, was final, and that a decision was not expected before the end April, writes William Tinning.

The latest stage in the process to decide the yacht's ''retirement home'' took place when Defence Secretary George Robertson met representatives from the Leith Docks and Manchester Ship Canal consortiums, in London to extol the merits of their respective schemes.

Mr Robertson is understood to have also received correspondence from three unsuccessful London bidders, outlining joint action they plan to take over the Government's handling of the affair.

The Clyde Heritage Trust, which was unsuccessful in its bid to have the Britannia berthed on the Clyde at Govan, confirmed yesterday that it had also written to Mr Robertson indicating that it ''stood ready'' to receive the yacht if the MoD had a change of heart.

Mr Robertson's decision appears daunting, given the growing doubts over accommodating the vessel in Manchester, and the potential backlash against Scottish Ministers if Edinburgh is again favoured at the expense of Glasgow for a major project.

Some of the unsuccessful bidders have expressed concern that neither Leith nor Manchester will be able to take the vessel until their sites have been prepared - perhaps taking two years - by which time its condition may have deteriorated.