Trinity Mirror has agreed to sell Berkshire Regional Newspapers for £10m to Berkshire Media Group Ltd, a subsidiary of The Dunfermline Press.

Berkshire Regional Newspapers forms part of its regional business in London and the South East and comprises 14 titles, which include the Reading Chronicle series.

The group provides coverage of both free and paid titles from Hungerford to Slough and publishes weekly newspapers including Chronicle Extra, Bracknell Midweek, Bracknell News series, Newbury & Thatcham Chronicle, the Slough Windsor & Maidenhead Express series and the broadsheet Reading Chronicle series.

The sale price was equal to the 2006 revenues of the business.

Deirdre Romanes, chief executive of The Dunfermline Press, said she was delighted to have made such an important addition to the group.

She said: “This is a significant development for us which will allow us to strengthen our offer to readers and advertisers alike.

“All our newspapers act as the voice of their communities – we will be listening and speaking to our new Berkshire readers.

“We are looking forward to building on the strengths of the titles we have acquired to make an even better impact in this enterprising part of the UK.”

Earlier this month, Northcliffe Media bought 26 weekly newspapers from Trinity Mirror Southern in south-east England for £64.15m.

The three businesses were part of Canterbury-based Kent Regional Newspapers, East Surrey & Sussex Newspapers based in Reigate; and Blackmore Vale Limited in Dorset.

Dunfermline Press Group’s titles include the Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser, Dunfermline Press & West of Fife Advertiser and the Stirling News.

Its sister company, Clyde & Forth Press, publishes the Greenock Telegraph and a host of weeklies which includes the Clydebank Post and Helensburgh Advertiser.

Operations in England include the Slough and Windsor Observer, which was sold in March 1997 to Clyde & Forth Press, a family-owned and run business. Do you have a story about the regional press?
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