STAFF at the St Ives printing factory in Gillingham are in shock after being told they are to lose their jobs. A total of 210 posts will go when the premises shut down.

One employee said: "We all saw it coming because business had been going down, but we did not expect it to happen so soon." Other employees at the site in Gillingham Business Park, along with general manager David Moore, declined to comment.

But Ray Morley, finance director at the company's London head office, said: "This is not a decision we have taken lightly and it is extremely regrettable. But it is difficult to see what else could be done. My most experienced colleagues in the print business say these are the worst trading conditions for the last 30 years."

Mr Morley said a 90-day period of consultation would begin with employees and the factory was expected to close shortly after that. He said: "Whatever help we can give staff to find other jobs we will."

St Ives, which has now cut more than 600 jobs in recent months, said the move reflected lower demand for magazine-based printing. It has seen a number of customers close titles because of lower advertising spending, while there has been less demand for promotional printing.

St Ives, which employs 3,700 UK staff and another 2,000 people worldwide, has run a web printing division in Gillingham since the late 1980s. Work from Gillingham will go to other plants, including at Peterborough, Andover and Plymouth.