Guardian shun tabloid option

British broadsheet newspaper the Guardian has confirmed that the paper will not be going tabloid despite the success of a tabloid edition of Britain's The Independent.

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger said that the decision not to follow the lead set by The Independent had been taken for editorial and economic reasons.

The Independent became the first broadsheet to launch a compact edition last September, a move followed by The Times.

Last Tuesday saw the trial launch of a tabloid edition of the Irish Independent in the greater Dublin area.

January daily sales of the Independent have increased 12.1% in the UK on the same period last year while the Guardian fell 6.4% and the Daily Telegraph slipped 3.4% on the month.