Publisher sells East Mids newspapers as part of £17m deal

Publisher Johnston Press has sold a tranche of East Midlands newspapers as part of a £17m disposal.

The titles include the Local (Bourne), Lincolnshire Free Press, Grantham Journal, Rutland Times, Suffolk Free Press, Spalding Guardian and Stamford Mercury and have been sold to Iliffe Media of Cambridgeshire.

Ashley Highfield, chief executive of Johnston Press, said: “This disposal marks a major milestone in our divestment strategy and puts us firmly on the path of refocusing our activities on areas with the greatest growth potential. The disposal will also reduce our net debt whilst putting us on a stronger footing.

“I would like to thank the staff based at these titles for their hard work and loyalty over the years and we wish them well for a successful future.”