Production director George Martin, who has overseen the project, will stand down from his position at the end of the year and will be replaced by his deputy Robert Wood.

SMG, which started production at the new plant in March, has also launched TimesOut, the Evening Times' guide to the city's entertainment, as a separate stitched and trimmed supplement.

Martin said the company was "still perfecting" the trimmed TimesOut supplement after its first three weeks, but added: "We think it works much better as a standalone product."

Story by John Davies