A weekly newspaper has put its town centre offices up for sale for £185,000, joining sister titles in the area who are also moving bases.
The Bridlington Free Press has told readers it is moving out of its Prospect Street offices because they are “too big for our requirements”.
The Johnston Press title is now seeking a new base in the town and said its journalists will be based in the community more as the newspaper prepares to leave the old building.
It is the latest in a series of office moves by JP’s Yorkshire Regional Newspapers after the Scarborough News and Whitby Gazette also put their buildings up for sale last month.
Bridlington Free Press editor Nick Procter told HTFP: “The office is up for sale and we’re looking for other premises in Bridlington to provide a better environment for staff.”
A story in the Free Press said: “Your Bridlington Free Press team will now be out and about in the community more than ever as they prepare to say farewell to their old building in Prospect Street.
“The offices are too big for our requirements and the company is seeking a new, modern working environment in Bridlington.
“Our commercial team is now equipped with the latest technology to meet customers’ needs at locations and times convenient to them and our editorial team can update the news round-the-clock.”
The Free Press’ building is up for sale for £185,000 and is being marketed by Ullyotts.
The paper’s story adds: “The Bridlington Free Press will stay in Bridlington and continue its unique and unrivalled news and commercial service.
“Reception will stay open in Prospect Street as usual until the building is sold and our reporters will be based there on a rota basis.”
It also provides email addresses and mobile numbers for its reporters.
The Whitby Gazette put its offices up for sale for £395,000, while the News’ building is also on the market.
Earlier this month, HTFP reported that Yorkshire Regional Newspapers, which also includes the Pocklington Post and Beverley Guardian, was offering voluntary redundancy to all its staff.
It is Johnston Press’s official policy to base more journalists permanently in the community, as their redundancy programme indicates.
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Too big? One room up and one down as I recall with a cubicle for the editor’s office. What do they envisage moving to- a broom cupboard?
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“Our editorial team can update the news round-the-clock”.
Hey, that’s great. One thing though – I assume you are paying your editorial staff decent salaries for working “round the clock”. That would only be fair, wouldn’t it?
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In its heyday it accommodated in cosy comfort two or three ad reps, a receptionist, three reporters, a sub, a secretary and it had a cupboard/darkroom to keep the photographer in.
Oh, and the legendary Arthur Porter, editor and champion crown green bowler.
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There’s a very nice bench near the pier with inspirational sea views, which will ensure reporters are out and about while being provided with fresh air and having contact with all walks of life.
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As a rival Chronicle reporter in the early 50s I can assure you Bob Potter, Reg Atkinson and Neil Sanderson – the entire editorial staff – were very much in, and part of, the community and had a firm grip on whatever happened in the town.
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Since competitor BRIDJOBS started online in 2005 and then opened their St John Street Offices Bridlington during 2008 this newspaper has lost all of its lucritive recruitment advertising. Local employers now use the towns independent jobsite, not the Free Press Office and most of their other customers, which were the OAPs from the last generation, have all died.
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