Clarion Group



The Clarion Group was a newspaper corporation owned by Nick Cavanagh, based in Neptune House. As of Nick's acquisition of Bob Statham's 60% share of the Weatherfield Recorder in February 1988, the Clarion Group owned five free sheets. Ken Barlow knew of the Clarion Group by reputation, and remarked that their style wasn't editorials but wall-to-wall advertisements and horoscopes, though he held onto his 40% share of the Recorder and worked alongside Nick, despite an offer by the Clarion Group to buy him out.

Once the Recorder was moved into Neptune House, Nick left the day-to-day running the paper to Ken and Nick's daughter Fiona, installed there as assistant Janet Bamford's replacement. He occasionally called on Ken to share his latest idea - such as a new design for the Clarion Group logo, and to inform him that he was getting a company car.

Behind the scenes, the Clarion Group's finances were in a sorry state. By June, Nick still hadn't paid Statham for his share of the Recorder, and he was borrowing money to keep the Clarion Group going. He found a buyer for the Group but the deal fell through, upon which he took what money he could and disappeared, while the receivers were called in to take control of the Clarion Group. When Fiona told a hitherto-oblivious Ken the facts, Ken was initially suspicious that Fiona was protecting Nick, though he soon believed that she didn't know where he was when she helped him keep the paper going. Presumably, the Clarion Group was dissolved shortly thereafter.