 In 1878, following a decade of feuding between the two factions Spark was made bankrupt and was forced to sell the D&S Times to the Northern Echo proprietor John Hyslop Bell.In 1903, it was then sold to the North of England Newspaper Company, which later became part of the Westminster Press group.In 1996, Newsquest Media Group bought the Westminster Press Group and its titles, including "The Northern Echo".