Thomson Reuters closes provincial office

The company said it had told the 50 staff based there that they would be working permanently from home. Their roles are not in jeopardy.

"Thomson Reuters always looks at ways to run our global business operations more efficiently, as the needs of our customers, and the way we support them, evolve,” a spokesperson said. "This approach sometimes includes changes in our real estate portfolio, to be in the best position to support our customers and employees, and to grow as a business.”

Thomson Reuters already had offices in Nottingham in 2016 for employees mostly working for the technology operation. The financial and risk division, which now operates as Refinitiv, also has a small number of employees there.

Reuters said it would locate a new “global sub-editing hub” in the city. Regional editor Richard Mably said at the time: “The UK is an ideal location for a global desk for a number of reasons, including readily available talent, time zones and language. Establishing the desk in Nottingham will give staff a more affordable alternative to the difficulties of living in London (and other editing centres).”

Later that year the agency said there had been very little interest from journalists in London so the idea had been dropped. ■