Six join race for Northern papers

AT LEAST six first-round bids have been made for the Northern Ireland titles of British newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror.

Yesterday was the closing day for first-round bids for the titles, including the Belfast Newsletter, which are expected to net Trinity Mirror around €55m. It is believed Trinity will only accept a bid for the entire stable of papers.

There is strong interest in the titles given the strength of the local newspaper market. Bids are believed to have been lodged by Independent News and Media, Scottish Radio Holdings, private equity firm HgCapital in conjunction with ex-Independent executive David Palmer, and Thomas Crosbie Holdings, owners of the Irish Examiner. The Ulster Unionist MP, David Burnside, has also expressed an interest, as has Archant, which backed the collapsed Dublin Daily, as well as Johnston Press.