INDUSTRY | NEWS Frogmore Paper Mill in Hemel Hempstead has reopened its doors to the public for the first time since a devastating fire in January 2022. Frogmore is noted as the world’s first mechanised paper mill, with the facility having installed the world’s first paper machine in 1803. The site suffered significant fire damage in January 2022, leading to the site’s closure and the demolition of the visitor centre. Since then, staff, volunteers, and supporters have been working tirelessly to restore and rebuild the facility. The mill recently conducted its first ‘hard hat’ tour, with a group visiting the mill on October 15th. The new tours give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the mill, offering the chance to see historic machinery, including demonstrations of papermaking by hand and by machine. The limited reopening is the first step in a multi-year redevelopment plan that aims to see the mill return to a fully renovated and accessible space. Publishing and creative content agency, Title Media, has released a white paper titled ‘Media Habits in 2025: Evolving Preferences and the Role of Print’, which seeks to find out where and how media is consumed, and which media platforms are most trusted. Among its goals, the research paper aims to provide data about what types of media people are willing to pay for, what role advertising plays in all media types, and the overarching differences between digital and print media consumption. As the paper states: “The results present a nuanced picture: one in which digital still – perhaps predictably – remains dominant in generic reach, but where print plays a unique, valuable, and unexpected role.” As part of the research, a survey was undertaken asking respondents a range of questions about the trustworthiness and reliability of different forms of media. When asked which format they considered most trustworthy, 59.3% of the respondents selected print. By comparison, only 5.6% named social media as trustworthy. Survey respondents said that print feels more credible, premium, and permanent. According to the white paper, over 60% also said that reading a print magazine felt “more special” than engaging with content online. Of the reasons for returning to print, many cited the enjoyment of its tactile aspects, how it helps take time out to slow down, and feeling weary of screens. In addition, 66.7% of respondents said they would buy something after seeing it in a printed magazine. Digital, by comparison, scored higher for convenience and speed, but audiences cited ad fatigue and data-privacy concerns as major turnoffs. The total number of respondents to the survey was not listed, although an appendix showing the age groups, country of residence, and work situations represented was released. This showed that the majority of the respondents were over 45, lived in the UK, and were self-employed. All 100% of the respondents said they regularly used social media, with 53.3% regularly using print magazines, and 40% using newspapers. 0% of respondents said that newsletters and digital magazines were among their top three most used type of media. 66.7% of respondents said they would buy something after seeing it in a printed magazine Historic mill reopens after fire The BPIF has welcomed news that the UK government intends to strengthen legislation in order to tackle the UK’s poor payment culture. Under the proposals, which amends the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, payment terms would be capped at 60 days for all businesses. Following further consultation, the government also plans to reduce the cap to 45 days over the next five years. The legislative changes will additionally include a 30-day deadline for raising invoice disputes and mandatory statutory interest on late payments. Finally, a new piece of legislation will also be introduced to give the Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) powers to issue financial penalties to businesses who persistently pay their suppliers late. According to the BPIF, late payments and long payment terms continue to place significant strain on businesses across the printing industry, particularly SMEs. The federation has consistently called for stronger measures to ensure fairer payment practices, based on the views of its membership. Print is more credible and trustworthy, according to survey BPIF welcomes late payment legislation The 2022 fire was caused by two teenagers who were given 12-month referral orders The federation has stressed that the government needs to get the proposals right 5 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk November | December 2025 - Issue 357 By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert
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