Fears that the London 2012 media centre could be left disused after the Olympics have been allayed after a major newspaper publisher expressed strong interest in the site.

Archant London, which publishes over 30 weekly London newspapers including the Hackney Gazette, indicated their interest in renting part of the Main Press Centre.

The group’s Managing Editor, Richard Thomson, said: “As publishers of the leading local newspapers in Tower Hamlets and Hackney, Archant London would certainly consider taking space in the Media Centre once the 2012 Olympics were over.

“Both the location and the state-of-the art facilities will, we are sure, be attractive to a wide range of media companies such as ourselves.”

Several other big media companies, however, effectively ruled out a move to the Hackney Wick complex, which was scaled back last year to cut spiraling costs.

ITV, who were last month reported to be “frontrunners” to move into the centre after 2012, admitted to the Hackney Post that they had had “initial conversations” with the relevant bodies regarding a possible use of the media centre, but stressed that at present it was nothing more than this.

Others, however, seemed less keen on the idea of moving to the centre, which will offer 300,000 square feet of office space. Use of the space is likely to cost £15 per square foot per year, or £4.5 million for the whole site.

This news will come as a blow to Hackney mayor Jules Pipe, who was reportedly keen to see a big media player commit to the centre to ensure that its place in the Olympic legacy was assured.

The Main Press Centre, which will house thousands of journalists during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is a key part of the legacy promised by the bid team.

It is hoped that it will attract the creative industries after the games, and create huge numbers of new jobs in Hackney.

Pearson, publishers of the?Financial Times, categorically ruled out a move to the centre, and broadcasting heavyweights Sky and the BBC played down any suggestion of their using it.

A spokesman for the BBC said: “We are currently consolidating our operations around two central London locations and in Salford.

“So we are consolidating rather than expanding at the moment, but we wouldn’t rule anything out. However, we would not use the centre for any large-scale production work.”

Sky’s spokesman said: “Though we would never say never to these things, we have just redone the news centre that we have so that is all up to date, and it’s not something that we are likely to change.

“I’m not aware of us having been approached over the use of the [Olympic media] centre either.”

A consultation with the public on the legacy of the 2012 Olympic site is taking place until March 22, and you can have your say here.

Image taken from Chris Devers on Flickr.