The Shropshire Star have opened the doors to their new office to staff, who are enjoying being based in the modern detached office block, says the publisher.
Over the last few weeks the office has been refurbished, they continued, and communications have been installed, ready for staff to move into. On the wall of the new office is a timeline graphic, which charts the history of the Shropshire Star from its beginnings in 1964 to 2021 when the paper moved to a new tabloid format.
Highlights on the graphics include when the Red Arrows did a flypast to mark the newspaper’s 40th birthday in 2004. There is also a note about when the Shropshire Star became the first British newspaper to bring readers colour pictures of the moon landings in 1967.
Shropshire ad manager, Clare Weaver has been coordinating the move to make sure the teams have everything they need in the new office. “We wanted to make sure the office was fresh and welcoming for the teams when they arrived on Tuesday morning,” said Clare. “The atmosphere was buzzing and everyone loves being based in a smart, modern, open-plan office. Every team at the MNA has worked hard to get the office ready - from the IT team and Jim McFarland ensuring we have everything in place, through to Adam Pettitt in marketing with his eye-catching timeline graphics. Not only is the office amazing inside, but the almost-panoramic view of Telford is also stunning and the building is surrounded by trees, which means we have a beautiful sight outside the window.”
Head of editorial support, Tania Taylor, has also been working hard to make the move as smooth as possible. “There has been so much excitement this week as everyone moved into the new office,” she said. “Grosvenor House is a great central location for the Shropshire Star team and the views from the office are fantastic. Everyone has said what a modern, comfortable, fresh environment it has, and it’s wonderful to have the timeline graphics on the wall, showing some of the important events in the history of the Shropshire Star. The open layout means that editorial, circulation and advertising are based together and can work closely – it’s nice to see everyone sitting together as one big team.”
A sale was agreed on the former Shropshire Star offices last month and since then staff have either worked remotely or from other offices owned by the Midland News Association, says the publisher. Grosvenor House is close to Telford Town Centre and has a number of benefits on-site including a children’s nursery and café. It is also close to the train station and has excellent parking and bike facilities.
