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The Friday Project up for sale

08.02.08 Tom Tivnan

Pan Macmillan is believed to be the front-runner to acquire The Friday Project (TFP), which is currently in talks with several parties over a sale.

Founded in 2005 by Clare Christian and Paul Carr, with investment from Anthony Cheetham, TFP specialises in developing books from online content. Carr left in 2006, shortly after former Waterstone’s head buyer Scott Pack joined as commercial director.

The feisty indie published 44 titles in 2007. Bestsellers include Blood, Sweat and Tea, a diary of a London ambulance driver, and the Popjustice series of mini-biographies. It had a gross turnover of £2.2m last year and hopes to hit £3.5m in 2008 with 60 new titles.

The company’s sales and distribution are currently handled by Pan Macmillan, which last year absorbed the publishing operations of former third party clients Think Books and Rodale. It also acquired children’s publisher Kingfisher, with new Macmillan group c.e.o. Annette Thomas pledging to build the trade division with a “programme of investment”.

Independent publishers The Friday Project

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By Walter Ellis

I think the description "feisty indie" no longer applies, don't you? Clearly, the owners of The Friday Project are being offered lots of money by big publishers and are about to sell out – quite literally. And why not? That's business. They obviously believe that, like the Tardis, they can be bigger on the inside than on the outside. The question now has to be, can they take the money and [still] run the business? Time – as Dr Who would say – will tell.

08 Feb 08 16:52

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By phoebes_mum

Another good small press destroyed by corporate greed! I'm sure the shareholders will be delighted. Not so much fun for the people who work at the project and who, livelihood aside, put their heart and soul into their books.

23 Feb 08 14:59

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By OG

Read this book. Weekly installments every week of 2008. Not a blog but an on-line book in serial form. First find the readers, then the publisher... www.businesswithearthlings.com

24 Feb 08 13:19

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