Two daily newspapers on England’s south coast will now fall under one editor.
Gordon Sutter will edit the Bournemouth Daily Echo and Southampton Daily Echo, which are both owned by Newsquest.
It comes after Bournemouth Echo editor and news editor Andy Martin announced he is stepping down after 31 years at the newspaper. He has been in his current joint role for and four-and-a-half years.
Martin, 59, will take on a new role as associate editor and community ambassador for the paper, the Bournemouth Echo reported today.
Sutter will edit both newspapers from June this year. He will also oversee all the websites and titles published at Newsquest’s Bournemouth office in Richmond Hill (pictured).
The 51-year-old joined Newsquest 30 years ago and has worked in both the Bournemouth and Southampton newsrooms. He has edited the Southampton Echo for the past two years.
Martin told the Bournemouth Echo: “The Echo has been my life and my passion for more than three decades.
“I feel very privileged to have had a wonderful career here and to work with many amazing, talented and dedicated people, not least my current, brilliant newsroom team.
On Sutter’s appointment, he said: “We have worked closely together since the early 90s and have been friends throughout that period. He is an exceptional journalist and I know the Bournemouth Echo and all our titles will be in very safe hands.”
Vincent Boni, managing director at Hampshire and Dorset, paid tribute to Martin as “an exceptional journalist and editorial manager”.
Sutter added: “Andy will be a hard act to follow but I am really looking forward to joining the team in Bournemouth.”
Picture: Google Maps
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