Johnston Press has said it has seen "no discernible improvement" in the advertising market in the past three months, with like-for-like advertising revenues down by 9.4 per cent year-on-year in the five months to June 3.

In a trading update issued ahead of its interim results, the group said that the figure reflected weaker comparatives since it announced a fall of 10.5 per cent year-on-year back in March.

Last year the regional publisher bought Score Press, Local Press Limited, The Leinster Leader Limited and Scotsman Publications, and said that on a like-for-like basis if the acquisitions were included in both periods the decline would have been 8.4 per cent.

The statement said: "Declines were experienced in employment, motors and display.

"All of these declines reflect the relatively difficult conditions being experienced in the relevant markets, higher unemployment and lower vacancies; lower car sales and dealer consolidation; weakness in consumer confidence and poor results from a number of high street retailers."

It said it was continuing to see growth in property and other classified markets, and that circulation revenues were ahead of last year with continued growth in all its digital publishing activities too.

The closures of its Halifax, Portsmouth Heatset and Scarborough presses has hit contract printing revenues, but it said there would be increased contract printing associated with its recent acquisitions and that its major press developments in Dinnington and Portsmouth would bring "opportunities for further printing efficiencies" in the future.

The statement continued: "The integration of our recent acquisitions is progressing well and, as previously stated, we expect them to be earnings enhancing in the year.

"These acquisitions combined with our ongoing control of costs and improved productivity will help offset the impact of increased newsprint prices and the difficult trading conditions."