A group boosted its bid for Beaverbrook’s empire.

United Newspapers, which publishes local newspapers in Great Britain and the humorous magazine Punch, increased its offer for Fleet Holdings to $445 million from $315 million. At the same time, United bought 7.1 million shares in Fleet for $38 million, boosting its holding to 31.9%. At stake are three national newspapers--the Daily Express, Sunday Express and Daily Star--and a host of technical journals. Canadian-born tycoon Lord Beaverbrook built the Express into one of Britain’s best-selling papers in the 1930s. His son, Max Aitken, sold the group to its present owners in 1977.