The future of another independent newspaper series has been secured following its purchase by a consortium of Iliffe News and Media and Peter and Rory Fowler.
The New Milton Advertiser and Lymington Times has joined the stables of titles acquired by the partnership.
The New Milton Advertiser was founded in 1928 and bought by Frederick Charles Townley Curry in 1930. Just 2 years later he launched the sister title the Lymington Times.
Frederick’s son Charles Starr Curry, joined the paper as a 16-year-old reporter in 1936 and took over as editor in 1966, upon the death of his father. Charles remained at the helm until 2012, when at the age of 91 years, his poor health no longer enabled him to continue. He passed away in February of last year, at the age of 98.
His son Charles Edward Curry (Eddie), took over from him as A&T managing director in 2012.
Eddie said “For a quite some time we have been considering what was the best for the staff and the title in the long term.
“I am delighted that we can pass it over to Iliffe and the Fowlers, who I genuinely believe will give both the staff and the A&T the best opportunity for continuing to prosper in the future. “I would like to thank the staff who have worked so loyally to produce the second best weekly newspaper in the country – second only to Iliffe’s Cambridge Independent in the national newsawards.”
The purchase of the New Milton Advertiser by Iliffe and Fowler represents the fourth recent newspaper acquisition by the joint partnership, following the purchase of The Stratford Herald, Scottish Provincial Press and the Newbury Weekly News.
David Fordham, a non executive director of Iliffe News and Media and who oversaw the acquisition, said; “We have long been admirers of the New Milton Advertiser and the Lymington Times. They are both wonderfully traditional newspapers that will fit well into the portfolio of titles published by Iliffe Media.”
James Gurney, managing director of Iliffe News and Media (Central Division), will oversee the New Milton publishing division.
