Regional publisher Trinity Mirror has confirmed that it is moving the Manchester Evening News to Oldham this autumn.

There has been speculation that the daily title and its 21 sister weeklies would be on the move to the Trinity-owned site at Chadderton ever since the sale of parent company MEN Media in February.

A planning application has now been submitted to Oldham Council to refurbish three floors of a disused building at Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, where it already prints all MEN Media titles as well as the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo.

However it is understood that the titles will retain a Manchester city centre office, which will have a front counter and ‘hot desks’ for journalists and advertising staff.

Trinity was unable to keep the MEN at its existing premises in Scott Place as it only had a six-month licence to remain there after the purchase of the titles.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror has confirmed that the move will take place this autumn. It is understood that the company considered a number of options for the sites but decided Oldham was “the one which best suited its needs.”

The planning application, which has yet to be decided by Oldham council, includes the replacement of the office roof, the installation of new windows and air conditioning units, and 60 additional parking spaces.

It will bring the total number of parking spaces at the site to 80 although documents submitted alongside the planning application indicate that up to 268 MEN Media staff would be travelling there by car.

Comments

menman (17/06/2010 08:31:54)
Surprise,surprise.

speed up (17/06/2010 10:33:31)
I’m not sure why this is news. It’s been common knowledge for weeks.