Talks are under way with more than 40 newspaper staff who are set to lose their jobs at the Lincolnshire Standard Group.

LSG was bought by Johnston Publishing earlier this year and the staff cuts are being explained as a way to move forward after a lack of investment over the years by the previous owners.

The antiquated pre-press operation, which was still run as a paste-up system, will be replaced by electronic information exchange with new plant in King’s Lynn and Peterborough, where some staff could be relocated.

Thirty production staff and 11 accounts staff are having their jobs cut.

John Broom, who runs the Lincolnshire operation, said: “This is the culmination of a lack of investment over a number of years.

“The press was moved out of Boston a few years ago and it was simply the pre-press that remained but it hadn’t had any money spent on it for some time.

“The decision was whether to create a whole new pre-press operation or use the resources we already had.”

The company is in a consultation period and is hopeful a number of people can be relocated. There is an in-house redundancy package available and those affected also qualify for £100 of legal advice on their rights, options and employment law to help them make the right decisions.

Mr Broom said: “We have some long serving staff who we’d like to keep.

“LSG has had four proprietors in just over a year. They’ve had a torrid time.

“Johnston Press is a good, established regional publisher and our message is that we’re in this for the long term.”

He added there would be visible, as well as invisible changes to the products.