Paper production suspended

Production of community newspaper Dé tha dol? has been suspended with immediate effect.

In the February edition of the paper, which serves Moidart, Ardnamurchan and Morvern, readers were informed the publication had been running at an average monthly loss of around £400 since March last year and that almost all the financial reserves had been exhausted.

‘When Covid-19 first arrived, we felt it was important to continue, but that is now impossible to sustain,' said a statement from the management committee.

‘In view of the disappointing attendance at our Virtual Annual Review, an open public meeting held online last week, we cannot help wondering whether Dé tha dol? has run its natural course. However, the committee and other interested parties are reviewing all aspects of the management of the paper and will consider all options for relaunching it in the future. Please contact us if you have any questions.’

The committee added: ‘We would like to thank Sheila Larkin for her work as editor since April 2017, in particular during this last difficult year.’

On Sunday, management committee member Joanne Matheson posted a message on the paper’s Facebook page in which she thanked everyone who had offered support and assistance after news of the ceasing of production.

However, in the statement Ms Matheson stressed: ‘The management committee would like to be clear that we have never suggested De tha dol? is going to fold. We simply said that, with average losses of £400 per month since March 2020, brought about by Covid-19 restrictions, we cannot continue production at the moment.

‘This is a good opportunity to take stock, review all aspects of production, content and finances and, if there is still a will within the community – which it now appears there is – relaunch it again sometime soon. Thank you for your continued support.