Job threat as magazine scrapped

Most of the proposed job losses will be in Poole, Dorset

Eighty jobs could be lost at the classified ads company Exchange & Mart after the decision to cease publication of the magazine and continue online.

Print staff in Poole, Dorset and Cheam in Richmond, are facing the threat of redundancy and consultation has begun.

The last printed edition of the weekly magazine will be released in February.

Bosses said the decision was because of the "on-going success" of the website which had seen year-on-year growth of 21%.

Frank McCaffrey, managing director of Exchange & Mart, said: "This move is a natural evolution for Exchange & Mart and marks the beginning of a new era for the brand.

"It is also very much a trend being followed by the publishing world as a whole."

The majority of any job losses will be at the Poole operation which has been based in the town for 20 years, a spokeswoman said.