A weekly newspaper has been closed by a regional publisher after 20 years in business – with six jobs believed to be at risk as a result.
Reach plc has shut The Wharf, which had served East London’s business community since 1998, with the last edition of the paper published on Thursday 20 December.
The Wharf’s future had been in question since August 2017, when Reach forerunner Trinity Mirror admitted it was “being reviewed”.
It is understood a total of six editorial and advertising jobs are at risk as a result of its closure.
Associate editor Jon Massey had been running The Wharf since September 2017, following the departure of editor Giles Broadbent the same month.
Its closure has been lamented by Newsquest editorial director Toby Granville, who served as deputy editor from its launch until 2000, when he took on its editorship.
Toby posted on Twitter yesterday: “Sad to hear [The Wharf] folded just before Christmas after 20 years – great memories of launching the paper, having my first editorship and winning Newspaper of the Year in 2002.”
The paper was based at Reach’s headquarters in One Canada Square, at the heart of its Canary Wharf and Docklands patch.
A Reach plc spokesman said: “Due to challenging market conditions including Brexit, decreasing property revenues and the delay of Crossrail, Reach plc can regrettably confirm the final issue of The Wharf was published on Thursday 20 December.
“Reach plc have worked hard to secure the future of the publication, gaining investment from Canary Wharf Group, as well as new business from the sales and commercial team, however unfortunately there is still no viable route toward profitability.”
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The closure of underperforming and poorly selling local weeklies will become more common across all the bigger publishers throughout the year.
There really is only so long these ailing papers can be allowed to stagger along,unloved and losing money before the bean counters say enoughs enough and finally pull the plug.
My local weeklies sell nowhere near the number of copies they used to and have become pale and embarrassing shadows of the popular papers they once were,filled with old news and RGC,devoid of adverts and manned by skeleton junior staff who rely on social media posts for their content .
Closing the dying ones to reduce costs or reinvesting in the products which do have a chance ( if there are any) is the only way.
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always sad to see a local paper close but I do agree with Prospectus. We have reached a tipping point in quality. I am sick of reading story after story that has obviously been hurriedly cobbled together from e mails with no context or proper story construction. As for pictures…..
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Not really relevant when talking about a free title though paperboy?
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Actually, tippex, I think it is relevant. I’ve worked for free newspapers where we took pride in what we put in them, including photographs. Mind you, that was a long time ago.
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