Ashgate Publishing

Ashgate Publishing was an academic and professional publishing house based in Farnham, Surrey, England. Established in 1967, it developed a catalogue focused on scholarly books, journals, reference works, and professional materials, with particular strength in the social sciences, arts, humanities, and applied professional fields. Its publishing activity served university researchers, students, libraries, practitioners, and specialist professional communities rather than the mass consumer-book market. The company operated in the United Kingdom and internationally. In addition to its principal base in Farnham, Ashgate maintained a London office and an American office in Burlington, Vermont. Its international structure supported distribution and editorial relationships across academic and professional markets, while its subject specialization allowed it to build recognizable lists in areas such as business, management, project management, the humanities, and the arts. Ashgate functioned as a publishing house with multiple imprints and associated businesses. Gower Publishing was its professional publishing imprint, known for business, management, and related practitioner-oriented titles. Dartmouth formed another part of the group’s scholarly publishing activity. Lund Humphries, an imprint with roots dating to 1939, was associated particularly with illustrated art books and modern British art. Together, these imprints gave the wider Ashgate operation a broader range than a single-subject academic list, combining research monographs and journals with applied professional content and illustrated art publishing. A notable later initiative was GpmFirst, introduced by Gower in March 2015. It was a web-based community of practice for subscribers, combining access to more than 120 project-management titles with discussions and articles relevant to business and project-management work. The initiative reflected the broader shift in specialist publishing from exclusively printed books toward subscription services, online communities, and continually updated professional resources. Ashgate’s independent corporate identity ended after its sale to Informa, announced in July 2015. The reported transaction value was approximately £20 million, although the available reference material does not provide a primary financial filing for the figure. Following the acquisition, Lund Humphries was relaunched as an independent publisher in December 2015. By February 2016, Ashgate’s independent imprints had been incorporated into Routledge, the academic publishing imprint within Informa’s Taylor & Francis group. Ashgate therefore survives principally through catalogue ownership, editorial continuity, and selected imprints or lists within the Routledge and wider Taylor & Francis structure rather than as an independent publishing company.

Ashgate Publishing was founded in 1967 and became a specialist British publisher serving academic, cultural, and professional audiences. Its base was in Farnham, Surrey, with additional offices in London and Burlington, Vermont. The company’s publishing programme concentrated on fields in which specialist books and journals have a long research or professional life, including the social sciences, arts, humanities, business, management, and professional practice. Rather than operating as a single undifferentiated list, Ashgate developed a portfolio of imprints and related publishing identities. Gower Publishing supplied business and management material aimed especially at professional readers and organizations. Dartmouth contributed to the scholarly side of the group. Lund Humphries, whose history preceded its association with Ashgate and extended back to 1939, was recognized for illustrated art books, particularly publications concerning modern British art. These imprints enabled the group to address distinct editorial communities while sharing the infrastructure of a larger specialist publisher. Ashgate’s catalogue included research monographs, edited collections, journals, professional books, and illustrated art titles. Its role in academic publishing was closely connected to libraries and specialist research communities, while Gower’s list was more directly connected to practitioners in business and management. This combination made the company both a scholarly publisher and a provider of applied professional information. In March 2015, Gower expanded beyond conventional book publishing with GpmFirst. The service was designed as a web-based community of practice for subscribers. It provided access to more than 120 project-management titles along with discussions and articles relating to business and project management. The initiative illustrated the importance of digital delivery, membership models, and professional interaction alongside the traditional sale of individual books. The major corporate turning point came in July 2015, when Ashgate was sold to Informa. Public reports placed the value of the transaction at approximately £20 million, though the available reference material does not establish a primary source for that amount. The acquisition connected Ashgate with Informa’s Taylor & Francis academic publishing operations. The transition also affected the group’s imprints: Lund Humphries was relaunched independently in December 2015, while the independent Ashgate imprints were incorporated into the Routledge imprint by February 2016. Consequently, Ashgate ceased to operate as an independent publishing house. Its historical identity remains relevant as a catalogue and imprint legacy within the academic publishing businesses associated with Routledge and Taylor & Francis, while Lund Humphries followed a separate independent path. The Ashgate story reflects the consolidation of specialist academic publishing, the separation of selected cultural imprints, and the movement from print-only publishing toward digital professional platforms.

• 2016

  Ashgate imprints joined Routledge

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The independent Ashgate imprints became part of Routledge within Informa’s academic publishing operations.

• 2015

  GpmFirst launched

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Gower launched GpmFirst, a subscriber-oriented online community of practice combining project-management publications with discussions and professional articles.

• 2015

  Acquired by Informa

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Ashgate was sold to Informa, bringing its publishing assets into the Taylor & Francis group.

• 2015

  Lund Humphries relaunched independently

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Lund Humphries was relaunched as an independent publisher after the Ashgate transaction.

• 1967

  Ashgate Publishing established

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Ashgate was founded as a specialist academic and professional publisher in the United Kingdom.

• 1939

  Lund Humphries established

  [1]Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The Lund Humphries publishing business, later associated with Ashgate, was established and developed a long-running focus on illustrated art books, especially modern British art.

A specialist academic and professional publisher positioned between research publishing and applied practitioner information, with a strong emphasis on social sciences, arts, humanities, business, management, and professional practice.

• Academic publishing

  Academic monographs and edited scholarly books

  Ashgate’s core catalogue included specialist research monographs and edited collections in the social sciences, arts, humanities, and related areas. These publications were aimed at researchers, university libraries, instructors, and advanced students, and typically addressed focused subjects that required specialist editorial and peer-review expertise.

• Business and professional publishing

  Gower Publishing

  Gower was Ashgate’s professional publishing imprint, concentrating on business, management, and practitioner-oriented subjects. Its list addressed organizational and operational needs rather than only academic debate, helping Ashgate reach consultants, managers, project professionals, and business learners.

• Art books · 1939

  Lund Humphries

  Lund Humphries published illustrated art books, with particular recognition for work concerning modern British art. The imprint had been established before Ashgate and was relaunched as an independent publisher in December 2015 after the sale of Ashgate to Informa.

• Scholarly publishing

  Dartmouth

  Dartmouth was one of the scholarly imprints associated with Ashgate. It contributed specialist academic titles to the group’s broader programme in the humanities and social sciences.

• Digital professional information · 2015

  GpmFirst

  GpmFirst was a web-based community of practice launched by Gower in 2015. Subscribers could access a substantial collection of project-management titles, together with discussions and articles connected with business and project-management practice.

• 2015

  Sale of Ashgate to InformaM&A

  Background

  Ashgate was a specialist academic and professional publisher with several subject-focused imprints. Informa announced its acquisition in July 2015 as part of the expansion of its academic publishing activities.

  Action taken

  Informa acquired Ashgate and incorporated the business into the Taylor & Francis publishing structure. The transaction was publicly reported at approximately £20 million, but that figure is not supported here by a primary financial source.

  Aftermath

  Lund Humphries was separated and relaunched independently in December 2015. By February 2016, Ashgate’s independent imprints had moved into Routledge.

  Reported transaction value. Approximately £20 million reported purchase price (2015)

  Source

• 2015

  Launch of GpmFirstProduct launch

  Background

  Professional readers increasingly expected online access, continuing updates, and peer interaction in addition to conventional business books.

  Action taken

  Gower launched GpmFirst as a subscriber web service combining access to more than 120 project-management titles with discussions and related articles.

  Aftermath

  The initiative represented Ashgate’s move toward digital professional communities and subscription-based content delivery.

  Source

1. 1Ashgate Publishingen.wikipedia.org