Competition body invites comments on proposed newspaper sales

PLANS by the publisher of The Scotsman to take over eight local newspaper titles in Scotland is unlikely to be as smooth as it might have hoped.

Recently, Johnston Press announced it had agreed to buy the titles from Norwich-based Archant. But the Office of Fair Trading has said it first wants “interested parties to get in touch with any competition or public interest issues”.

The titles affected include The Buchan Observer, Fraserburgh Herald and Ellon Times.