A group of retired newspaper printers from the Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough have seen the future, with a tour of the paper’s new £14.6m print press.

Former staff from the days of hot metal print production saw how things had changed during a visit to the new facility on Middlesbrough’s Riverside Park.

The tour was arranged by Gazette managing director Alastair MacColl, who promised to invite all the veteran staff to the new press once it was “up and running” and 38 of them accepted.

Many workers remembered the days of hot metal print production and said it was a world away from the clean, sunlit new press.

Gordon Daniels, (77), spent 37 years at the Gazette, working in the process department.

He said: “I remember when we started it was very dirty, very smelly.

“By the time I left in 1983 we were just beginning to change over to computers.

“The new press looks superb and it’s mind-boggling.”

Former Gazette printers visit the new press

John Harrison, (75), worked at the Gazette for 39 years and remembers a very different press when he started back in 1943 aged just 14.

He said: “The press on Borough Road was underground because of the bombing raids so I would go down into the cellar and oil the machines and look after them.

“We only got ten shillings a week back then.”

Printing began at the new press hall on September 27 last year. It has allowed the Gazette to switch to compact, with more pages and more colour.

Gazette managing director Alastair MacColl said: “It’s unique in this day and age to have such an active and involved group of retired employees, who are still passionate about our business.

“That passion and commitment made us the great business that we are today, so it’s fitting that we recognise their tremendous contribution at our new state of the art press centre.

“Even in retirement our employees remain very much part of the team.”