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Weekly’s future being ‘reviewed’ this week, regional publisher confirms

The future of a weekly newspaper is “being reviewed”, the company which owns it has confirmed.

Trinity Mirror says it is to hold meetings with “key stakeholders” this week about The Wharf, which serves East London’s business community.

However, the regional publisher has stressed that no decision has yet been made with regards to the free paper.

The Wharf has been published since 1998 and is based at TM’s headquarters in One Canada Square, at the heart of its Canary Wharf and Docklands patch.

Wharf relaunch

A Trinity Mirror spokesman said: “The future of The Wharf is being reviewed. No decision has yet been made – there are meetings taking place with key stakeholders this week.”

In May, The Wharf underwent a relaunch with an emphasis on large pictures and clean visual presentation.

It increased its fashion, food and leisure content while also pledging to offer stronger and more diverse business, money and career news to reflect the area’s heritage as a financial centre.

5 comments

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  • August 16, 2017 at 1:23 pm
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    Whilst any potential newspaper closure is never good news, especially when rather oddly it comes weeks after a much heralded ‘ relaunch’ I have to applaud TM on their policy of reviewing the effectiveness and profitability of all their titles and closing those which are more of a liability than an asset.

    Too many regional publishers allow tired,dull weekly papers which are now a shadow of their former selves,to limp along accruing ever growing costs while remaining unprofitable as they appear too afraid to tackle this issue head on. Those which are profitable and have an audience have little to fear ( one hopes)
    Aboutbtine other so called big boys undertook the kind of review TM are carrying out to whittle out the publications and personnel who are underperforming to reduce costs and hopefully secure the future of those who are.

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  • August 16, 2017 at 8:09 pm
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    Of course, it depends how you measure profitability. Without the costs of a plc, many a loss-making (on paper) small weekly would probably be in profit.

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  • August 17, 2017 at 11:43 am
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    @voice of reason. The nail is firmly hit on the head with that comment.
    When LW/Trinity took over Iliffe in 2013 among other things they shut offices, centralised payroll accounts, subbed out pre press, centralised all distribution services and eventually in 2014/15 moved away from their internal press. All of this saved literally millions a year. (I know the exact figures and trust me it’s a hell of a lot)
    Yes I understand the industry has changed massively. But there is no way you can tell me that healthy papers that were supporting multiple offices and large amounts of staff while still making profits sunk that low in profitability even after all those savings that they have now closed the vast majority of them down.
    These bastions of industry should hang there heads in shame for their inability to manage an industry they claim to lead.

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  • August 17, 2017 at 8:52 pm
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    Shame to hear this. I actually set up and launched this newspaper nearly 20 years ago.
    It was an unusual idea, and a curious marketplace, but it certainly served its purpose.
    Made an awful lot of money in its day too for my former employer.

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  • August 18, 2017 at 8:06 am
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    Former loyal is correct, coupled with the growth of free online instant news it’s the vicious circle of years of mismanagement, complacency, arrogant lack of investment and incompetence that has resulted in newspapers under threat of closure, and no announcing back tracking or new coats of paint will put now dire titles back into profit and make them viable

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