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GE Magazines has closed both its consumer titles, Garden

Inspirations and Inspirations For Your Home, sparking predictions of

further casualties in the depressed homes and gardens sector.

GE Magazines declined to comment on the closures, but it is thought

likely that many of the 33 staff, including seven sales people, will be

axed.

Sales house The Pepper Group shares responsibility for display sales

with the magazine team.

The January to June ABC for Inspirations For Your Home was 70,141, a

fall of 27.7 per cent year on year. Garden Inspirations - which

suspended publication last winter - recorded an ABC of 54,738, a 22.8

per cent drop.

The decision to cut the titles will be a blow to GE, which takes its

name from its principals, managing director Peter Edwards and editorial

director Liz Glaze. It also publishes partworks such as Ready Steady

Cook and Groundforce.

BBC Worldwide lifestyle director Seamus Geoghegan suggested both the

closed GE titles were victims of the decline in the fad for

makeovers.

"These readers tend to only buy a couple of issues while they plan their

makeover," he said.

In the homes market, it is suggested that the revitalisation of the

market-leading Ideal Homes has reduced the need for people to buy

several magazines.

And in gardening, the only strong titles are those read by dedicated

horticulturalists.

IPC Southbank managing director Tim Brooks admitted the gardening market

was dire and predicted that there will be more closures in the homes

market.

"There are too many magazines and there has to be a culling of some of

the weaker titles," he said.

However, Clive Foskett, managing director of SPL, which publishes

Gardens Made Easy, was surprised at GE's move. "Publishers need to

adjust to the revenues available," he said.