Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited
| Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Private limited company (dissolved) |
| Defunct | 21 September 2021 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Industry | Newspaper publishing (registered activity) |
Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited (company 12557970) was a company incorporated in April 2020, during the attempted merger of The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News, and controlled by the Kessler Foundation, then the owner of the Chronicle. It filed no accounts and was struck off and dissolved in September 2021.[1]
Registration and control
The company was incorporated on 15 April 2020 with share capital of £100, adopting model articles, and registered under the activity code for publishing of newspapers.[1] Companies House records the Kessler Foundation (company 01864076, now The Jacob Foundation) as its sole person with significant control from incorporation, holding 75 per cent or more of the shares and voting rights and the right to appoint or remove directors.[2] A first Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off was published on 6 July 2021 and the company was dissolved on 21 September 2021.[1]
Officers
| Name | Role | Born (month/year) | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Steven Jacobs | Director | January 1962 | 15 April 2020 | — (company dissolved) |
| David Andrew Kershaw | Director | February 1954 | 15 April 2020 | — (company dissolved) |
| Raymond Jonathan Harrod | Director | December 1977 | 15 April 2020 | — (company dissolved) |
| Raymond Harrod | Secretary | 15 April 2020 | — (company dissolved) |
Source:[3]
All three directors were at the time directors of Jewish Chronicle Limited, the Chronicle's owning company.[4]
Context: the 2020 merger plan
On 12 February 2020 the two papers announced that they intended to merge their businesses and "unite under a charitable trust". The merger had been agreed in principle between the Kessler Foundation and the Noé family, owners of Jewish News, but completion depended on raising the necessary funds.[5][6] On 8 April 2020 both titles announced that they were seeking voluntary liquidation; Press Gazette reported that their boards remained separate and that no merger deal had been finalised.[7] In an update of 14 April 2020 it reported that the Kessler Foundation had bid to the liquidators for the papers' assets in order to merge them into one title led by the Jewish News editor Richard Ferrer.[7]
A consortium led by Robbie Gibb outbid the foundation for the Chronicle. The Guardian reported on 23 April 2020 that the merger had been abandoned and that Jewish News had been taken out of liquidation and remained with its existing owner.[8][9] The reports consulted do not name Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited or state what role, if any, it was to play in the bid.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Companies House, Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited (12557970): overview and filing history, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited (12557970): persons with significant control, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Jewish Chronicle & News Media Limited (12557970): officers, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Jewish Chronicle Limited (00095587): officers, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News announce plans to merge The Jewish Chronicle, 12 February 2020, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Charlotte Tobitt, Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News agree to merge news operations to 'secure financial future' Press Gazette, 12 February 2020, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Charlotte Tobitt, Coronavirus crisis forces Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News into liquidation Press Gazette, 8 April 2020, updated 14 April 2020, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Jim Waterson, Jewish Chronicle saved by consortium after messy takeover battle The Guardian, 23 April 2020, accessed 7 November 2026.
- ↑ Charlotte Tobitt, Jewish News back to 'business as usual' as Chronicle merger plan thwarted by surprise bid Press Gazette, 21 April 2020, accessed 7 November 2026.