The iconic harbour-side offices of one of the UK’s top-performing weekly papers have gone on the market for just under £400,000.
The Grade II-listed offices of the Whitby Gazette, situated next to the historic town centre’s swing bridge, are being offered for sale by agents Richardson & Smith, with a price tag of £395,000.
Publisher Johnston Press announced it was considering selling the offices earlier this year, coinciding with the decision to make the editor of the paper, Jon Stokoe, redundant.
It is thought reporters will be based at a smaller building elsewhere in the town.
The property listing cites the building’s potential for a “variety of retail and leisure uses, subject to planning”, and highlights the possibility of converting upstairs rooms into flats.
It also includes a reception area, two offices and a meeting room, as well as basement store rooms, cloakrooms, a kitchen and a loft.
Despite a widespread backlash on Twitter and a petition to save his job, Jon was made redundant in April after a lengthy period of gardening leave.
Jon has now launched his own PR and media consultancy firm, Stokoe Media.
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Shame!
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This whole business in Whitby has been an utter shambles and directly contradicts the values that JP professes to espouse. Their only motive is debt reduction.
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Life really IS local, isn’t it?
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I hope they listed it as a “fixer-upper”! having been inside that building once before it’s failing to pieces.
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Smaller office in town? Howl long before they’re shunted off to Scaroborugh with what’s left of the reporting staff working out of their homes?
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