Archant pulls the plug on Cambridge First
Regional publisher Archant has announced that it is to pull the plug on Cambridge First, the weekly newspaper it launched just two years ago, with the loss of up to 12 jobs.
It follows the failure of the title to make inroads against the established Cambridge News and Crier, published by Lliffe News and Media.
This saw the News merge with Cambridge Now, a free Metro style title launched by Lliffe as part of a circulation war, to form the Cambridge News and Crier Now.
In a statement Archant Anglia MD Johnny Hustler said: “Launched into a competitive market just as the economic downturn started to bite, Cambridge First has been a great editorial success, however it has not been able to achieve the commercial market share necessary to fund its continued publication.
“We believe that by taking this decision our resources can be focused on our more established titles in the Archant Herts & Cambs portfolio, ensuring that we maintain and improve our performance in areas where our market position is stronger.”