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Alvaston Media buys The Magazine | Print |  Email to a friend
Monday, 03 March 2008
Alvaston Media plc which is listed on the Plus Market, has bought the title and assets of the monthly lifestyle publication The Magazine which closed in February.
Alvaston Media plc which is listed on the Plus Market, has bought the title and assets of the monthly lifestyle publication The Magazine which closed in February.

The monthly title which claimed a circulation of 10,000, was launched by Nicola Smith - sister of one time IT girl, and teenage bride of Bill Wyman, Mandy Smith – in 2004. The magazine was heralded as ‘Manchester and Cheshire’s leading A-list magazine’.

Image
Smith
The Magazine became popular with a celebrity-centric, largely female readership. At its peak, the publisher claimed a readership of 40,000.

The December issue was the last one to be distributed in and around the city.

Rumours about the title’s health had been circulating since last summer and problems came to a head just prior to the Christmas shutdown. When news of the closure was announced, Smith told How-Do she was bitterly disappointed.

Alvaston, which has a market capitalisation of just under £1m, aspires to be a marketing and media conglomerate. It acquired the advertising agency Creation out of administration early in 2007.

Last October the company appointed Carl Hopkins, former chairman of JDA, as its new non-executive chairman.

Image
Hopkins
Mark Brown, Alvaston’s MD was unable to speak to How-Do as the news had not officially been announced on the Plus Market.

However The Magazine website on Friday said that “The Magazine will be back soon, sexier, sassier and smarter than ever.

“To find out just how much sexier contact Nicola Smith. Or to find out how much smarter, get in touch with Mark Brown.”

www.themagazineonline.co.uk

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  Comments (24)
RSS comments
 1 By Scott website, on 04-03-2008 14:41
Now what did I tell you guys ;-) 
 
Here it comes baby, Sexier AND smarter whaaahooo.
 2 By Oh dear, on 04-03-2008 16:27
Your enthusiasm is endearing Scott, but with the events of the past few months in mind totally misplaced.
 3 By Whome, on 04-03-2008 16:37
'...the news had not officially been announced on the Plus Market...' 
 
isn't that risking insider trading?
 4 By Scott website, on 04-03-2008 17:06
Now now, lets be positive :-) 
 
The bar's down John Dalton Street and the like need a sexy lifestyle mag to replace them nasty property mag's currently on offer...
 5 By Jonny, on 04-03-2008 19:25
I wonder if the rehashed magazine will continue to be a vehicle for self promotion for the owners...
 6 By Cheap as chips, on 05-03-2008 12:36
Cost £7k according to the official market announcement. So no forward sales, then.
 7 By Busy Body, on 05-03-2008 23:23
£7k? My word, I'd be looking for change!
 8 By Darren, on 07-03-2008 11:28
I used to work for The Magazine, I left for the simple reason of poor Finance, getting paid by cheque was already a worry and then the landlord taking away parking spaces was enough of a warning sign... especially having a little lad to take care off.... 
 
I always had High hopes and myself and Scott(see above comments) had high hopes for The Magazine, we had always given sound advice from a PR point of View, and trying to drill into them that the Rate Card was WAY TOO expensive for the manchester market... 
 
but on a positive point, every advertiser was a paying advertiser not a freebie like other certain Magazines 
 
There are nasty comments about the self promotion of the owners, always being in the magazine at every party, PR event launch etc... 
 
But you and i as media professionals noticed this... You and I are also the target audience of this magazine.... High end flyers, RICH ABC1 MARKET, and love Manchester & Cheshire (it was just about to launch in Liverpool Dec/Jan) 
 
The Nasty rumours about its circulation of 50,000 are not true IT DID have a circulation of 50,000 its one magazine where we would have our distribution points moaning for more copies as it was the only magazine to be picked up and read.... more than i can say for the property and living mags of manchester... 
 
Its sale of 129 issues comments... Who cares... It was a free mag good on them for selling a few issues 
 
I wish them all the best at the magazine and I hope the new buyout and new management will make The Magazine one of the best publications in Manchester.... 
 
Good Luck to Nicola, Amanda... 
 
Darren
 9 By Bernie, on 09-03-2008 15:31
I am another ex-employee. All ads paid for eh Darren. What about the contra-deals with restaurants, lawyers and photographers?
 10 By Bernie, on 10-03-2008 09:21
It never had a circulation of 50,000. IT CLAIMED A READERSHIP OF 50K
 11 By Darren, on 12-03-2008 08:17
Bernie 
 
Contra deals are a way of doing good business, photographers, they took small banner ads, what £250? restaurants maybe small quarter page ads.... £350?? theres still another 55 pages of editorial and ad space to sell.... 
 
where you really that bad bernie that yo had to do contra-deals all the time.... 
 
shame on you.... now wonder not one person ever hit target at the magazine...
 12 By Bernie, on 12-03-2008 10:19
HI Darren 
 
It was the owners who did the deals.
 13 By darren, on 14-03-2008 11:01
if it was the owners then it still shows the poor sales skills of its team..... 
 
best of luck Bernie
 14 By Bernie, on 14-03-2008 13:57
Hi Darren 
 
Your sales skills were obviously lacking - you did not set the World on fire did you?
 15 By Bernie, on 14-03-2008 13:57
Hi Darren 
 
Just remind me - were you not part of their sales team just before they went bust!
 16 By Darren, on 17-03-2008 13:15
45k in under 3 months is good enough for me...... The fact that they borrow 30k to keep a float was a sign to leave..... 
 
and if you read my original post you would see the reason to leave was due to there financial problems, NOT my ability to sell Bernie. 
 
You cant help it if they where all hung up on KEY MEDIA PARTNERS.... B&O and manchester235.... who happen to be every tom dick and harry's partners!
 17 By Bernie, on 17-03-2008 14:05
Calm down Darren - you'll blow a fuse!
 18 By A Treat, on 17-03-2008 14:18
Leave it Darren, they're just not worth it...
 19 By Darren, on 17-03-2008 20:14
Im sure the Magazine will Do well now its under some form of new leadership and direction.... All I can say is good luck in such a tough tough Market place... 
 
As for bernie....
 20 By Bernie, on 18-03-2008 13:08
Hi Darren 
 
Your obsession with The Magazine is becoming very boring. If only for the sake of your own sanity the sooner you accept there is life - and a much better one for you - after The Magazine, the better.  
 
I, for one, wish you every success for the future.
 21 By Tony Murray, on 18-03-2008 13:20
Let's be honest if either of you in this bitch slapping session was any good then the Magazine would not have gone to the wall. You are both equally shite and let's hear no more from you.
 22 By Darren, on 19-03-2008 11:46
I think Tony Murray found his manhood.... 
 
congrats..
 23 By Scott, on 05-08-2008 17:49
What a load of rubbish, I can't believe either of you even managed to survive in any media role for longer than a day never mind overcome this incredibly difficult anti spam question below! 
 
Did you guys use a calculator? 
Goodbye Mr Fish..... He's waving! ;-)
 24 By Debbie, on 06-08-2008 09:39
Scott - you're not exactly on the ball yourself are you? Have you checked the date on the previous comment to your own .... March 18 !!!! You obviously don't work in a 'fast moving environment' do you?

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