The office of the South Wales Guardian in Ammanford is to close from Friday, October 5. However, the newspaper will continue to serve the region with journalists and sales staff present in the town.

Reporters will move between various pre-arranged locations to ensure they remain accessible and available to anyone wishing to contact them with stories, news and sports items and editorial content.

The newspaper’s advertising department will now be based at Newsquest’s west Wales headquarters in Haverfordwest, with a dedicated account manager spending three days a week in Ammanford and the remaining two days in Pembrokeshire. This will lead to the loss of three advertising department staff, plus the cleaner.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision,” said Guardian editor Steve Adams.

“The Quay Street office has long been deemed unfit for purpose and so the decision has been taken to leave it.

“However, the Guardian will continue have a visible and accessible presence in Ammanford.”

“I would like to thank colleagues for their dedication, commitment and support.”

From Saturday, October 6, a “drop-box” will be placed in Ammanford’s Quay Street Post Office where small news items, community news and free ads can be left.

Reporters Josh Searle and Dan Laurie will be available to meet residents and business owners at various venues in the town on specific days from next week. Details of venues, dates and times will be posted online and in the Guardian. Account Manager Joy Stanley will be contacting advertisers in the coming days.

In the mean-time anyone with any questions can call editor Steve Adams on 01269 590894 or Mike Owen, head of advertising, on 01437 761776.

Reporters Josh and Dan can be contacted on 01269 590895 and 01269 590897 and via email at jse@swguardian.co.uk and dla@swguardian.co.uk as usual.