Â鶹ԼÅÄ

A County Down newspaper threatened with closure after more than 150 years, has been saved.

The Banbridge Chronicle now belongs to Bann Media Ltd which takes over the publishing of the title as of next week's edition.

The new owners operate a number of titles in Scotland.

Chronicle editor Bryan Hooks said he was "absolutely delighted and encouraged" by the response from the new company.

New Managing Director Peter Laidlaw runs the group's community weeklies in South West Scotland and Argyll and Bute.

He said he was looking forward to the continued publication of the heritage title and thanked readers and advertisers for their continued support during the transition period, which had been "important and encouraging".

Mr Laidlaw said Bryan Hooks led an experienced team that would look to build on the traditional strengths of the Banbridge Chronicle.

The staff at the newspaper will remain in post.

"At one stage we were preparing ourselves for redundancy. Now we are looking forward. It's a new lease of life," Mr Hooks said.

The Chronicle was previously a family-owned business trading under the name Edward Hodgett Ltd. The company continues to run the Newry Reporter.

Last October, the then owners said that "declining trading conditions in print media and a perfect storm of commercial difficulties during the pandemic" had led to their decision to close the Chronicle.

Mr Hooks has worked at the paper for 30 years.

He said the community's response to news that the paper might close had been "overwhelming" and added that he was looking forward to a new phase in the life of the title.