More than 100 jobs at risk as printing works face closure

Published on Saturday 3 October 2009 11:15

MORE than 100 jobs could be lost in the Capital after newspaper publisher Johnston Press announced proposals to close its printing plant in Newhaven.

The change would see 97 jobs cut at the printing plant's operating company, Caledonian Offset Limited, with a further nine roles lost at The Scotsman Publications' loading bay. Its delivery drivers would be transferred to the John Menzies' distribution site at Newbridge.

The firm, which publishes the Edinburgh Evening News, plans to outsource printing of the paper to News International's Eurocentral facility from early November. The firm's other Edinburgh-based papers, The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, would be printed by Trinity Mirror at its presses in Cardonald. Other Johnston Press printing would be transferred to the company's own plant in Sunderland.

Divisional managing director Michael Johnston said: "Implementation of this proposal would reduce production costs and risks associated with the ageing COL press and will provide improved quality and flexibility."

He added: "Consultation with affected staff and their representatives is underway to identify ways of avoiding redundancies and mitigating the impact of this proposal. Every effort will be made to minimise redundancies via redeployment and voluntary redundancy.

"A further announcement will be made in due course following consultation with staff and their representatives."

When the 6 million printing plant opened in 1990, it was hailed as one of the most modern newspaper production centres in Europe.

The proposed closure follows editorial mergers at The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday.

Tom Little, editor of the Evening News, said that if the proposals went ahead the newspaper would be printed on one of the best presses in Europe, with full colour every day for the first time.

He added: "If this consultation leads to job losses it will be a sad day for everyone involved. But whatever happens the News will remain an Edinburgh paper, with articles about Edinburgh, produced in Edinburgh by Edinburgh staff. This newspaper is at the heart of this great city, and it will stay right here."

Union representatives were not available for comment.