‘Lads’ mags’ titles FHM and ZOO magazine will be suspended from publication, the Bauer Media Group announced this week.

Sales of the titles have suffered in the past 10 years with FHM’s circulation falling from almost 500,000 to below 100,000. Its rival publication Nuts magazine was closed in April last year. FHM and ZOO, which were founded in 1985 and 2004 respectively, will now be suspended.

Jon Ellis, owner of Town Common News in Christchurch, Dorset, told C-Store he wasn’t surprised by the decision, given declining demand for mainstream titles, but said sales of niche titles were strong.

He said: “We haven’t stocked FHM magazine for the last six months because the demand hasn’t been there. We currently stock ZOO magazine but we will stop selling the title in coming weeks.

“I think the audience for those titles has declined because readers have developed a more specific interest opposed to the general offerings of FHM and ZOO. This shifting trend has been reflected in the sales of our other titles, with sales of Men’s Health and some of our sports titles selling well.

“Magazines and newspapers continue to be strong performers and a valuable category for our store, and the space left on the shelves by the lads’ mag’ titles will be filled by more content-specific magazines such as Men’s Health. Although it is a shame for the titles, we don’t expect to feel the effects of their suspension.”