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Essex title "could be printed in Oxford" says MP

An MP has voiced fears that production of a daily newspaper in Essex could be moved nearly 100 miles away to Oxford.

HoldtheFrontPage reported yesterday that Newsquest Essex plans to shut down its printing plant at Caxton Court, Colchester, which currently prints the Essex County Standard and the daily Colchester Gazette.

Managing director Wayne Hutton said that if the closure goes ahead, the papers would be printed at other Newsquest sites, although these have not been specified.

Colchester MP Bob Russell has expressed regret at the move, which could mean up to 80 job losses, saying there was speculation that the printing work may go to Oxford, 92 miles away.

“Any loss of jobs in Colchester is to be very much regretted, and I hope somehow or another it will be possible to relocate some of them,” he said.

“I’m not sure how this decision by the company, which is ultimately owned by the Americans, fits in with the British Government’s policies on sustainable communities and reducing road transportation.”

Newsquest says it is considering this course of action due to surplus capacity within the group. It says Caxton Court is one of its older and least efficient single width presses.

Mr Hutton was approached for further comment yesterday but was unavailable.