AFTER a glorious career spanning four decades, editor-in-chief Eric Langton has announced a fond farewell to Trinity Mirror Cheshire, publisher of The Ellesmere Port Pioneer.
Eric leaves to pursue fresh opportunities after an outstanding career in daily and weekly journalism going back more than 40 years.
He has worked as a reporter, news editor, sub-editor and, since the 1990s, as an editor. In that time he has successfully battled serious illness while developing a range of multi-award-winning titles across Cheshire.
Eric said: “I have had a wonderful time in journalism spanning the last 40 years and I have thoroughly enjoyed leading the best weekly newspaper group in Britain for the last 12 years.”
He reflected on recent circulation successes of Trinity Mirror Cheshire titles during the last year, including the Pioneer, and added: “Our titles are the top five in the country in circulation terms, which is something I am very proud of, especially of my colleagues, who produce quality newspapers week on week to an exceptional standard.”
After writing countless headlines, Eric himself recently made the news after fighting off bowel cancer.
He said: “I am particularly grateful to colleagues and friends who supported me throughout my illness during a difficult period.”
Only last week Eric was passed with a clean bill of health after a scan was clear.
North Wales and West commercial director Carl Wood said Eric was admired and respected across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.
He said: “Eric was a class act, admired and highly regarded not only by his colleagues but also by the great and the good within the Cheshire market and I wish him every success and happiness in his retirement.”
North Wales and Cheshire publishing director Rob Irvine said: “I have known and worked with Eric Langton for many years. You will not meet a more professional journalist and I wish him every success for the future.
“I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in Chester and Crewe and to meeting the people, many of them loyal customers of Trinity Mirror, who make the great county of Cheshire such a special place.”
Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales has reorganised its senior management team to support the development of its newspapers and websites in Cheshire and North Wales.
A new single publishing team for the group’s titles in Cheshire and North Wales is being created. It will be led by publishing director Rob Irvine, who currently manages Trinity Mirror’s titles in North Wales.
The team, based in Chester and Llandudno Junction, will publish a range of titles, including The Chester Chronicle, led by executive editor Mike Green, and Daily Post Wales.
Reporters, photographers and advertising representatives will continue to be based in Chester and across the county. Production journalists will also work from our office in Commonhall Street, Chester, working alongside their colleagues in Llandudno Junction.
The commercial management team has also been reorganised to support advertising teams serving the titles in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Former Cheshire publishing director Carl Wood steps up to the newly created role post of commercial director, North West and North Wales. He will run the commercial teams in Cheshire and Merseyside as well as assuming regional responsibilities ranging from marketing and events to customer services.
Trinity Mirror customers will be able to visit our offices in Chester, Crewe, Widnes, Llandudno Junction and Caernarfon.
The company intends to look for new, more suitable premises in Chester and the office in Commonhall Street will be put on the market. The new premises will seek to house the editorial reporting and production teams, receptionists as well as consider the requirements of other departments which form part of the group’s regional and nationwide operation. In the short term the majority of staff affected will remain at the Commonhall Street site while the review is finalised.
Mr Wood added: “We have a fantastic set of print titles and websites across the North West and North Wales. There is so much we can offer to our customers and I am relishing the prospect of leading a commercial operation of unrivalled quality.”
Warren Butcher, managing director of Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales, said: “The new structure of our management, commercial and editorial teams will support our aims to develop our multimedia publishing business across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales.”
