Revolution 96.2 has announced they are in advanced talks with administrators to bring the Oldham Chronicle back to the town just days after the newspaper went into administration.
Less than two weeks ago, Oldham Chronicle’s parent company Hirst, Kidd and Rennie Limited announced the publication, which had been serving the town daily for 163-years, would close with the loss of 49 jobs.
It came as a massive shock to the people of Oldham, who had bought the Chronicle in their thousands for well over 150-years.
Now Matt Ramsbottom, Managing Director of Revolution 96.2, has announced they are in advanced talks with administrators Paul Flint and Jonathan Marston of KPMG to purchase the newspaper: “We believe there is still a lot of love for the Oldham Chronicle, not just from the thousands of people who read it every day,” he said.
“Oldham has a very strong local business community that also understood the Oldham Chronicle was at the heart of that community.”
The move will come as a major boost for the people of Oldham who have said they are missing their newspaper.
Regular Oldham Chronicle reader Mrs Woodland, from Shaw, said: “We really miss our Oldham Chronicle and hope Revolution 96.2 is successful in its bid to re-launch it.”
Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton, Jim McMahon said: “Its massive strength was that it was of the town and of its people and whoever takes it over has got to make sure that that local community connection is at the heart of any bid going forward.”
Noel Mahon, Managing Director of Royton based company PJR Windows, said: “We’ve benefitted from a relationship with the Chronicle which stretches back over 20-years. We would really welcome Revolution 96.2 being successful in their rescue bid as they are an Oldham based company, already heavily associated with our community and most importantly, able to offer local jobs to local people.”
If Revolution 96.2’s bid to save the publication is successful it will mean one of the oldest newspaper titles in the UK will be able to return to newsagents’ shelves around the North-West town.