Are there any ME Subscribers Here?

[lancelot]

Hello folks,
I occasionally buy the ME. in W.H.S or Easons but it was unavailable. I have a subscription paid for the M.E.W. magazine, I received the latest DEC/JAN issue and am hoping that no problems occur in the future. I believe both are run by the Highbury group?
All the best,
John.

[Roger Mason]

Hi,

My copy of issue No. 4263 arrived today (Wednesday) also.

I tried to work out from the postage label just when it was posted - but gave up. Does anyone have any idea what all the numbers and boxes on the label really mean.

If it helps mine has six boxes with the days of the week written in them. "TH" has been struck through with a black pen, and "F" has been crossed out with a blue pen. There is an enormous "J" and an even bigger "2" on the label. It also says "Truro", "TR Distbn", which I take is telling everyone that needs to know that my address is delivered from Truro, although the postman is actually based in the Post Office in the village.

So from all that information when was the magazine posted, how much was the postage, and who stuck this label on the envelope?


Cheers,


Roger Mason, in St. Agnes.

[GeorgeRay]

Roger
My copy comes in a plastic wrapper with no indication whatsoever when it might have been posted but it did arrive in Andover today presumably caught up in the Christmas mail.

[houstonceng]

Guys

My copy of issue 4263 arrived today as well. I'm afraid that HHC plc may be getting into the same problem that appertained a few years ago - when various issues of ME were in the shops and delivered to subscribers up to a couple of months later than their official publication dates. So much so that the dates and issues numbering had to be "re-alligned".

I'd like to believe that it's due solely to Christmas post problems - that this issue has arrived almost a week after it's official publication date - but bear in mind that subscribers were (but not recently) promised that magazines would be delivered to their door up to a week earlier than publication date - so it should have been with us well before Christmas. Then there's my personal experience of the last few issues. They have all arrived late or I've had to request replacements for non-delivery.

BTW. The magazines are delivered to subscribers by (I suspect) yet another company. You can check your subscription status on their web-site at www.subscription.co.uk/help (you'll need to know your 10 digit subscriber number). This doesn't appear to be the same company that was involved when I renewed my sub back in July. At that time, I only had a 5 digit number and I'm sure that I could renew my sub, check delivery and request replacements for missing deliveries by ringing one "hot-line". When I tried to do that a couple of months ago, I was told to ring or contact the web-site of "myfavouritemagazines.co.uk", which - it transpired - isn't involved with ME or MEW (but has the same STD code). Hence my concern about what, exactly, is going on with "our magazine".

Anyway, I'm off to the MEEx tomorrow and I might find someone who knopws what gives - maybe not ?

Andy

[Phil Sutton]

I've had 23-31 Dec issue,and I think the next one,if it arrives is due any day now.I,too,hope that ME hasn't gone down the pan,life just wouldn't be the same.I will make enquiries tomorrow,when I go to fetch the papers.

Phil (in still cold and snowy Sth Derbyshire)

[gwrfan]

Hi All,

I have an order with WHS for my ME, and it wasn't there yesterday. so I guess from reading the other comments that there were some problems with the distribution from printers. Perhaps there is a cash flow situation.

I do hope the ME survives, and I guess it will somehow. After all, it has survived two World Wars, and many other company take-overs. As many ME clubs are desperate to find younger members, we cannot afford to let our favourite magazine go to the wall.

Geoff in the frozen depths of Ccccccccccccornwalllllllll.

[SteveW]

Guys,

A lot of you have beaten me to it. Mine dropped though my letter box today (Thurs 29). A quick scan through it hasn't yet revealed any secrets as to why it was delayed.

Thanks to those of you that contributed to this one, it's nice to know one is not alone.

And to all that survived Christmas... A very merry new one and let us all look forward to an increase in the number of folk willing to buy ME and thereby keep it in print.

Actually, I think its getting really good with an increasing range of interesting topics. (usual disclaimer).

[Phil Sutton]

I Made enquireies today,and apparently there was some confusion with "missing copies"and theywould ring back" later" with more info,so will see what happens when I go in tomorrow.

Phil (still shivering)

[Phil Sutton]

Hi all.Have been in this am,and the answer that I got was that"due to internal industrial problems(!)the next copy will be delayed until mid jan.They have not gone under."
Make of that what you will,although things do sound a bit more promising.I will keep you updated as and when.

Phil(now very wet and cold)

[Ansty]

Well that is a bit more encouraging although this must mean that talks are still going on to save the company with someone.
I just hope that we do not suffer a long period of doubt and disruption. Somehow the mag MUST survive!

Happy New Year? I do hope so.

[Roger Mason]

Hi All,

Well I see that the Model Engineer has survived another issue. No. 4264 arrived yesterday (Thursday) morning.

A new loco construction serial has just started in it, so presumably there is some intention of keeping going for some time into the future.


Cheers,


Roger Mason, in St. Agnes.

[Chris Kelland]

Hi Chaps,

Just seen in the finance page of my rag that Highbury House have put all titles up for sale! Seems they are in excess of £b30.00 in the brown stuff! Future Publishing have now agreed to a previous deal to buy 38 titles, I remember them as a publisher of hobby based mags. I can only hope this includes ME and MEW as I have just renewed my subs to MEW for 2 years. I gave up on ME as I thought it had lost its value, I can't understand why they did not cut their losses and go monthly! By the way issue 111 of MEW was very late.

Cheers all,

Chris, in SW Oxon.

[Roger Mason]

Hi All,

Whilst we have all been carefully watching to see if the Model Engineer will continue or not, I have received today (Friday) a letter from the publishers of "Steam Traction Engine" saying that as of 4 January they have ceased publication.

This is a pity as it was a good magazine with a unique slant on traction engines in that they did a 'road test' on a different engine each month.

Is there any connection between this magazine, published by Kelsey Publishing Ltd., and the problems Model Engineer is having?


Cheers,


Roger Mason, in St. Agnes.

[3405jimmy]

ME arrived today no mention of any problems? I suppose it might have been put to bed before the crash although you would not have thought it would still be printed

Jim

[mike.rometer]

The following article appeared in the financial section of the Daily Mail, Friday 6th Jan:

HIGHBURY IN DEEP TROUBLE

The end is nigh for stricken publisher Highbury House.

All its titles, including downmarket lads’ mag Front, have been put up for sale as it heads for wind up. Whatever Highbury raises, it warned shareholders that ‘ it is highly unlikely that there will be any value attributable to the equity in the company’.

Defeated by debts of £30m, former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie quit as chairman just before Christmas. The shares were suspended at 0.7p a week earlier.

It was already overstretched when a deal to sell out to rival Future collapsed in April. Future later cherrypicked key titles. Finance director Tont DeBiase, installed two months ago, declined to comment

-------------------------

Let's hope that someone will be able to acquire the title and keep 'ours' going. It is one of the oldest publications on the market and doesn't deserve to disappear.

Looks as though anyone with a subscription to ME, MEW or other hobby magazines in the stable may lose out. (Unless a purchaser is prepared to inherit the debts of any magazine it acquires)

Mike

[the_viffer]

roger2 said:

Hi All,

I have received today (Friday) a letter from the publishers of "Steam Traction Engine" saying that as of 4 January they have ceased publication.

Is there any connection between this magazine, published by Kelsey Publishing Ltd., and the problems Model Engineer is having?


Cheers,


Roger Mason, in St. Agnes.

Until a couple of years ago Kelsey Publishing used to operate from my local High St (in a building which is now a Thai restaurant). So far as I know there is no connection between them and Highbury House.

In response to some other points on this thread: if you have paid for subscriptions by credit card then you should be able to get your money back from the cc company if publication stops. I buy pricey items by cc for this protection.

I would be very surprised if the ME name dies. It is worth money. In what form it lives on is another matter entirely.

[3405jimmy]

Good point about the credit car, and there was me winging about them loosing my standing order mandate

jim

[districtgrandmaste]

I've got a sub for another 20 copies of MEW so - prompted by feelings similar to those expressed by others in this thread I gave Highbury a call.

They say the next edition (No 112) of MEW will be going out shortly and 'its business as usual' at the moment.

The administrators will try to sell the titles as 'going concerns' but whether the new owners will honour current subscriptions would be entirely up to them.

I have registered my subscription with my credit card issuer as 'in dispute' just in case!

[3405jimmy]

According to a flyer with the latest edition the ME has been bought by Encanta Media. No mention of the subscription so it looks like that has transferred also.

Jim

[Ansty]

Yes good news hopefully. The address though is still the same as that used by Highbury House in Orpington as also is the subscription telephone number.
What does this mean? Another company set up to run the specialist magazines? According to the flyer nine specialist magazines have been bought by Encanta but whether MEW is included I'm not sure at present.
As we have received copies from Encanta our subscriptions will hopefully stand.
Lets hope that all goes well for the new owners.

Brian