GANNETT UK (Newsquest) last night made it clear that any offer for Regional Independent Media would be in the form of a single bid.

Gannett UK has expressed an interest in bidding for RIM along with the Guardian Media Group plc and Johnston Press plc.

Jim Brown, executive chairman of Gannett UK, said he was responding to remarks from RIM that Gannett's approach was "a messy, protracted and time-consuming way to go forward".

He pointed out that Gannett, Johnston and the Guardian Media Group have agreed in principle to a single bid from Gannett.

Thereafter, the question of what assets would be retained would be up to Gannett in accordance with any arrangements agreed with Johnston and the Guardian Media Group.

He believed that in the event of a sale of RIM being contemplated, the shareholders of RIM would benefit from exploring the basis of an offer from Gannett.