The Telegraph Group is considering exercising its right to buy the 50% stake in West Ferry Printers bought by Northern & Shell in its takeover of Express Newspapers last week.


If the move goes ahead it would strip N&S of the most profitable element of Express. Last year the Docklands print site turned in a profit of 6.9m, which was shared by joint owners Express and Telegraph.



The Telegraph sold 50% of West Ferry to the Express a number of years ago but retained the right to buy it back in the event of a change of ownership.



Telegraph managing director Jeremy Deedes was unavailable to comment on the likelihood of a buyback, but an inside source was quoted in a report in The Guardian this week saying that it was "safe to assume" the deal would go ahead.



The Guardian is printed at West Ferry along with other national newspapers including The Express and Daily Telegraph.



N&S bought Express Newspapers in a 125m deal last week. It is understood that owner Richard Desmond has not yet been in touch with Telegraph chiefs to discuss the plans for its West Ferry stake.