A hyperlocal news website which began as an online noticeboard is set to close after 15 years.

Community site Salford Online has announced the closure, with editor Tom Rodgers claiming the “quality of the news and editorial” has not been matched by revenues.

Salford Online started life in 2001 as an online community notice board which mainly published press releases, but became a fully fledged news website 10 years ago.

Tom, who began there as a volunteer writer and photographer in 2007, announced the closure “with great sadness” in a piece on the website.

He wrote: “I’ve been told that in losing SalfordOnline.com, Salford as a city will lose a massive community asset.

“Without wanting to sound arrogant – and with massive and devoted help from all our volunteers – we’ve built up something that’s become precious to people and it’s really blossomed.

“Salford Online was about more than just news. It was about community. About the good things that people did. But the site grew more rapidly than the infrastructure that was available to support it.

“We have achieved an awful lot with a budget as close to zero as it makes no difference.”

Tom has been sole director of the company since owner and managing director stepped aside, and decided last year he would close the site if it didn’t become financially viable within 12 months.

He added: “Unfortunately we’ve not been able to leverage a sales team to take advantage of our massive reach to scale the business in any meaningful way.

“We conducted a review in 2015 to try to identify other income streams that would support the news operation.

“Despite the hard work of staff and volunteers we have been unable to match up sales with the breadth and reach of our audience and the quality of our editorial.

“So as sole director it falls on me to make the tough but responsible decision. It’s been an incredible journey and I would like to thank the team here for all their hard work.”

The website will remain online as an archive for readers.