The Wapping site was home to News International for over 20 years. Rupert Murdoch, the chief of the organisation announced earlier this month that the site would be going up for sale. It is thought that News International will now focus its efforts on the regional branches that are already set up around the UK in Knowsley, Broxbourne and Scotland.
The Scottish site is based in Glasgow and produces newspapers using full colour printing. Coatbridge and the wider Lanarkshire region is home to many employees of News International so the news that this plant will remain open for the time being is something of a relief to local people.
Whilst the Wapping News International site no longer physically prints newspapers – its printing operation ceased to exist back in 2008 – it remains an iconic part of the British media landscape. Spanning 15 acres of land, the site itself was home to journalists and editors at The Sunday Times, The Times and The Sun. James Murdoch, the deputy Chief Operating Officer for News Corp spoke about the site, saying:
“It is a symbol of how bold individuals, working together, can advance the world of media and thereby contribute to life in Britain.”
Plans for the redistribution of work or staff to the Broxbourne, Glasgow and Knowsley sites are yet to be announced. Get a Free Quote for Plans