Bauer Media announces closure of women's lifestyle title after 25 years, with Tuesday's edition likely to be the last

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

Women's lifestyle magazine More! is set to close after 25 years, its owner Bauer Media has announced.

The weekly title, famous for its Position of the Week column, will "suspend publication" after what looks likely to be its final edition on Tuesday.

Paul Keenan, the Bauer Media chief executive, admitted the magazine had become "unviable" due to challenging economic conditions.

Keenan said: "The prospect of continuing challenging economic conditions has led us to reach this decision as the title has become unviable.

"I greatly appreciate the outstanding efforts of [More! editor] Chantelle Horton and her talented More! team and I'm sure that everyone who has worked on More! over the years – many of whom have gone on to build fantastic careers – will be sorry to hear this news. More!'s sense of fun, cheekiness and irreverence will be missed."

A spokesman for Bauer Media said management would decide whether the magazine will be formally closed following a consultation period for the title's 22 staff.

Launched in 1988 by Emap, More! is credited with sparking the careers of TV host Vernon Kay and actor Sienna Miller, who both regularly modelled for the magazine in its 90s heyday.

But sales of the title have struggled, as both advertising and readers slipped away from women's weeklies in uncertain economic times.

More! had an average weekly circulation of 92,459 in the final half of last year, according to figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations – down from 200,000 in 2007 and 300,000 in 2000.

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