Colchester Aceville acquired by Enthuse Group from DC Thomson

Media company DC Thomson said 300 jobs in total would be lost as it revealed efforts to plug a £10 million gap by “reshaping its portfolio” in February.

The majority of the jobs were to be axed in the firm’s magazine sector, with about half expected to be at the Aceville publisher in Hawkins Road in the Hythe.

But the brands of the lossmaking company have now been acquired by Enthuse Group which expects to save 30 jobs from the previously announced redundancy schedule.

Rescue - Aceville is based in Hawkins Road in the Hythe, Colchester (Image: Google)

The specialist publisher, which has not disclosed the financial terms of the deal, expects to continue publishing at least 12 print and online brands.

An Enthuse Group spokesman said: “We have been working night and day together with DC Thomson to try and find a way of saving at least some of the Aceville business.

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“I realise that our expectation of only saving around 30 jobs is a small consolation to all people affected by the closure and we will continue to discuss all options in consultation with employees.

“What I can assure those people who do come to work for Enthuse is that we are a lively, innovative business that knows how to make the best of their talents and experience.”

Pressure - DC Thomson owns The Press and Journal (Image: PA)

A DC Thomson spokesman added: “We are pleased to announce that we have accepted an offer from Enthuse Group to purchase the titles previously published by Aceville.

“Colleagues will transfer to Enthuse with immediate effect and we will be working with the purchasing company over the coming months to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.”

DC Thomson said it was “excited” to have acquired Aceville for a total of £3 million in 2018.

Read more: Devastated staff 'still trying to process' mass 150 redundancies in Colchester

But, five years later, many of its staff were informed their jobs were at risk via email and video conferences.

An anonymous member of staff who was told she was “at risk” told the Gazette: “It happened completely out of the blue."

At the time Rebecca Miskin, chief executive of DC Thomson’s media business, said the company “deeply regrets” the decision.

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