The Cumberland & Westmorland Herald started a new chapter in its long history last week, as the newspaper, first published in 1860, moved to new Penrith premises at 33 Middlegate.
The move keeps the newspaper at the heart of the Penrith high street — it having occupied its former home at 14 King Street for more than 100 years.
The relocation comes as the firm continues to move forward, following its acquisition by Eden engineer Andy Barr in 2020.
“We are committed to keeping the Herald at the centre of the community, and when the Middlegate premises became available it seemed an ideal fit,” said Andy. “We have spent the last few months completely refitting the new office to a high standard for our journalists, commercial and distribution teams on the Herald and sister titles The Keswick Reminder and Cumbria Crack.
“We are looking to the future and this move helps to secure the Herald’s place as one of the country’s few remaining independent newspaper titles.”
Staff moved into the new building on Friday, and this week’s edition is the first to be produced from the paper’s new base.
While the office is up and running, some finishing touches to furnishings will be made over the coming weeks and a launch event is planned.
“The Herald has been part of the Penrith high street for generations,” said editor Emily Atherton. “When Andy Barr bought the newspaper, the King Street premises were not acquired. The move to Middlegate puts us back into premises owned by the company. We would like to put on record our thanks to Mark and Sally Bowman, at The Lounge, for being good neighbours these last three years.
“The move to Middlegate shows a commitment to the future of the Herald, which has reported on life in this part of East Cumbria for many generations.”
She added: “These are challenging times for print journalism and we need the support of our readers now more than ever. We look forward to welcoming you to our new offices where we hope the work of this independent local newspaper will continue for years to come.”
