TELEVISION giant Granada is to close its waterfront base at Liverpool's Albert Dock.
The broadcaster will leave its home once a suitable alternative has been found but insists it will maintain a presence in the city.
Media analysts last night said the closure of the Liverpool base was an early sign of cost-cutting following the go-ahead for Granada's merger with Carlton.
The company once employed 200 people in Liverpool but that has dwindled to barely 20 today.
The broadcaster has had a presence on the Liverpool waterfront for more than 15 years.
It was one of the first companies to move into the refurbished Albert Dock in the late 1980s where the former Dock Traffic House became home to the relaunched Granada Tonight evening news programme.
Shortly afterwards they also launched This Morning with Richard and Judy which became a cult day-time hit among housewives and students.
Thousands of people from across the country visited the dock - if only to see weatherman Fred and his legendary weather map. But five years ago the main news programmes returned to Manchester and shortly afterwards Richard and Judy took their programme to London.
Granada is now in talks with Liverpool council over the best future use for its main building.
Managing director Brenda Smith said Granada would not leave the Albert Dock until another base was found in Liverpool city centre.
She said: "One option very much under discussion - is for Granada to co-exist with Liverpool Capital of Culture company at a city centre location. This would enable Granada to be more visible and accessible to our viewers and further demonstrate our commitment to the city and the region."
Council chief executive David Henshaw said: "We are in serious discussions with Granada TV about maintaining a very visible presence in the city and a continued and increased involvement in the life of the city which includes the run-up to the Capital of Culture 2008."
But a senior London-based media analyst last night told the Daily Post he considered the move a direct result of cost-cutting following the merger of Carlton and Granada.
The £4.2bn merger was cleared by the Government in October and left the new company controlling 12 of the15 ITV companies.
The source said: "ITV has also been facing increasing competition from cable and satellite television and Granada and Carlton themselves lost more than £1bn on the illfated ITV Digital."
