Kilclooney media group to sell two buildings as it downsizes its offices
newspaper group led by Lord Kilclooney is selling off the homes of two of its titles as it looks to move to new, smaller offices.
Lord Kilclooney, who heads Alpha Newspaper Group, said the Coleraine Chronicle in Coleraine and Tyrone Courier offices in Cookstown are now up for sale.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Lord Kilclooney said the group is relocating the titles to new offices in their respective towns.
“The premises we have at the moment are far too big,” he said.
He said with the company having “centralised” much of its printing over the years, there was a need to downscale the size of its offices.
“Our policy is to maintain offices in the town with circulaTHE tion... we will remain local.”
The Coleraine ChroniRoad cle offices at Railway in the town is a listed building dating back to around 1900.
It’s on the market for £280,000. And the offices of the Tyrone Courier in Cookstown are also on sale for £55,000.
Both properties are being sold by commercial property firm OKT.
Speaking about the listed building in Coleraine, a spokesman for OKT said it was “iconic”. “Whatever goes in there would have kerb appeal, and it’s easy to direct people to,” he said.
He said the building has already received “a good bit of initial interest” and said it was a “fantastic opportunity” for development.
Alpha Newspaper Group owns around 20 publications, which also include the Ballymena Guardian and Ulster Gazette.
OKT is marketing the Coleraine office as being located at a “busy pedestrian area with a high volume of passing vehicular traffic”.
“The main buildings facing onto Railway Road are listed and retain much character of the time, internally comprising reception area, production space, various offices, stores... all commensurate with the current and long established use as a newspaper office”.
The property firm says that “this Victorian period red brick building retains many of the original features”.