A daily newspaper’s historic base is set to close with the loss of 89 printing jobs.
Independent News and Media has announced the Belfast Telegraph’s offices will close by June next year, with editorial staff being relocated to new premises.
Dublin-based INM has blamed the “industry wide” trend of reducing print volumes and the loss of a key contract for the move.
The four storey building, pictured below, on Royal Avenue, in Belfast, has been occupied by the Bel Tel for more than 130 years.
A statement from INM reads: “INM today announced the planned closure of its printing operation in Belfast.
“INM also confirmed that it remains committed to its Belfast publishing business which will continue as normal.
“The print closure, which is expected to be implemented by no later than June 2016, is expected to entail a reduction of up to 89 employees, and reflects the industry wide trend of reducing print volumes as consumption of news via digital channels increases, together with the ending of a key contract with a UK publisher in Belfast.”
The company also publishes Sunday Life and Sunday World in Northern Ireland.
It is understood 61 people will be made redundant in October, with a further 28 leaving in June next year.
The remainder of the 201 printing jobs currently based in Belfast will then be transferred to the company’s lower-cost operations centre in Newry.
The statement continues: “Discussions will also be held with the remaining publishers to find alternative arrangements for the printing of their papers before the Belfast printing operation closes, at the latest, in June 2016. INM will liaise with staff and update them on all developments.
“The closure of the print division does not affect INM’s news publishing division in Belfast, whose titles include the Belfast Telegraph, Sunday Life and Sunday World.
“However the closure of the printing operation means that the company’s office on Royal Avenue, Belfast is no longer appropriate. INM will therefore relocate to new offices in Belfast.
“The closure of the print operation reflects the wider global trend in declining newspaper circulations, and the rise of news consumption via digital channels.
“INM remains committed to its long term strategy of multiplatform news delivery in Northern Ireland.”
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“INM will relocate to new offices in Belfast” means some windswept trading estate on the outskirts more than likely, as per the norm in other parts of the UK. These are sad times indeed in this once-mighty industry and my sympathies are with to everyone affected. That “long-term strategy of multiplatform (sic) news delivery in NI” won’t be helping them pay their mortgages and household bills.
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Having spent seven years working at what was once the most successful newspaper hub in Northern Ireland, it appears that, yet again, the loss of local ownership has devastated the impact of a thriving print industry and first-rate journalism in Northern Ireland. I hope there is scope for a co-operative buy out by an exceptional, world class workforce with a staunch, non-sectarian ‘No Surrender’ to an asset-stripping, accountancy led management!
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Not much of an outcry on here about 89 print jobs being lost! Not interested in your colleagues?
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Caring about the print industry is like being a Polish General in 1938. Every time I wake up there’s some new horror story and I’m wishing I’d moved to Australia.
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The only people interested in, or committed to being at the heart of a vibrant national capital city or regional centre with restaurants, bars, galleries, culture, cosmopolitan buzz, prestige and cache – are those who occasionally sit behind the desks or around the board table at a head office, which will be preserved at all cost.
And – good luck to the 89 print and production colleagues.
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How sad for al involved; 89 is a huge number of printers and knowing how forced redundancy feels, they certainly have my sympathy. I feel sorry for remaining staff too; moving from this grand building will be gutting. Just as the YP/YEP building in Leeds was self-advertising, so must this have been in Belfast. Visitors will no longer be welcome, receptionists (a friendly face of the titles) not required and identity in general diluted. Shame, but inevitable I suppose.
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Sad days for the media in NI with this and UTV being sold to the London-based ITV.
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Ex Printer – it’s not that people don’t care mate it’s that people are sadly used to it, nothing shocks me now. The industry has been gutted from the inside out. Yes, there are pressures from the web and social media and all that jazz, but you could handle decline worse if you tried.
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