AFTER 49 years the Free Press is today leaving its Gomm Road offices for pastures new. The new purpose-built three-storey offices, in Station Road, Loudwater, will be home to the Free Press, Midweek, Hillingdon and Ealing Times and the South Bucks Star newspapers and more than 100 staff.

The old eight-acre site in Gomm Road has been sold to Beaconsfield-based property development company Michael Shanly.

The building, which has been on site since 1956, will be demolished to make way for homes, owned by Wycombe District Council.

Vic Catanach, publisher of the Free Press and Times Group, which is owned by Newsquest, said the move will be good for staff morale.

He said: "The site has got to the stage where without massive investment we would struggle to stay here."

The building had a projected life span of 50 years and time is almost up. Staff have experienced poor heating control, blocked drains and a leaking roof over the last few years and are positive about the move.

Rachel Wakefield, advertising features and music editor of the Free Press has been working in Gomm Road since 1999.

She said: "I am really looking forward to it. It is high time we had better offices. It will be nice to be in a pleasant working environment without the draughts."

The move will be the fourth in the paper's 149-year history.

William Butler, a chemist, bookseller, stationer and publisher, set up The South Bucks Free Press and the Weekly General Advertiser in December, 1856, in Church Street, High Wycombe.

The railway had recently joined Wycombe to Maidenhead's branch line, defining a new district which Butler believed needed a new paper.

The first major move happened under Butler's son Thomas, who had succeeded his father as editor, when the paper moved to Castle Street, where the Castle Street office block now stands.

The Free Press offices will be closed from 1pm on Friday, May 20. If you have a story contact the duty reporter on 07718 968992