Guardian declares commitment to print amid staff fears over future of Observer

The latest rumour doing the rounds at Guardian News and Media is that a seven-day Guardian could replace The Observer in print.

There is certainly a belief amongst staff that such a plan is being looked at, but a Guardian News and Media spokesperson appeared to rule it out.

Press Gazette asked if it was correct that there were plans for a seven-day Guardian to replace The Observer. A spokesperson said: "The Guardian and The Observer newspapers still have incredible power and relevance. We therefore have no plans either to close newspapers or to walk away from print."

In 2009, Guardian Media Group looked into closing The Observer as part of a range of cost-cutting measures being considered at that time.

Guardian Media Group is currently looking at ways to save £54m a year from budgets in order reduce operating losses to a break-even position.

Consultation on possible voluntary redundancies for editorial staff is expected to begin next month.

Last year some 968 "core editorial staff" were able to vote in the ballot for a new editor.

The Scott Trust, which owns Guardian Media Group, has a remit of "securing the financial position and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity".

This core remit does not include The Observer, which was bought by GMG in 1993.