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Reporters in 30-mile move after office closure

Staff have completed a move from a weekly’s offices to a new base 30 miles away.

The Cumnock Chronicle shut its doors for the last time last week following parent company Romanes Media Group’s decision to close the building due to it becoming too costly to maintain.

Two admin staff have been made redundant as a result of the closure, while two reporters have been transferred to the offices of the Chronicle’s sister title, the Ayrshire Weekly Press, in Ardrossan.

Editor Douglas Skelton has also left the Chronicle to pursue his career in writing.

Romanes has declined to comment on the closure.

However speaking in November, when the move was first announced, group publishing director Keith McIntyre said the move would “alleviate pressure” on journalists.

He added: “Romanes Media Group do not have a policy of closing local offices, in fact this year alone we have opened new offices in Slough, Reading and Dunfermline.

“However circumstances in Cumnock were different. The building itself required a great deal of work to maintain it and our editorial team was struggling to cope with absences whether for holidays or sickness.”

7 comments

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  • January 22, 2015 at 8:42 am
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    Editorial struggling to cope with absences. Extra reporter maybe?
    Dodgy building? Find another in town?
    Obviously a decision taken simply to save money. Fair enough, if unfortunate for coverage of area. But just be straight about it.

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  • January 22, 2015 at 10:16 am
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    I agree with sceptic, but I wonder was the building not properly maintained in the past? Surely every property owner (apart from newspaper groups) knows small jobs become big expensive jobs if you don’t tackle them early enough.

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  • January 22, 2015 at 10:23 am
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    The ridiculous thing is staff asked for another reporter after losing one in 2009/2010. Bosses said no.

    Now with the move they’ve finally given the Chronicle another reporter – it only cost them its office.

    Also, Romanes Media Group’s owned that building. So…

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  • January 22, 2015 at 4:58 pm
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    Sad, but perhaps inevitable. It was a wonderful old building, handily sited across the road from the police station, and it was everything you might want an old newspaper office to be.

    I fear, however, that the greater loss is that of an outstanding editor in Douglas Skelton.

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  • January 22, 2015 at 7:33 pm
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    Romanes invest in nothing and work underpaid and largely trainee reporters into the ground. Plus ca change.

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  • January 25, 2015 at 8:59 am
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    Weekly paper industry now largely held together by trainees. Despite their hard work it is beginning to show.

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