A new weekly newspaper is set for its launch issue next week.

The Cleethorpes Chronicle will be the town’s only paid-for weekly.

It has been set up by Mark Webb, former MD at Grimsby and Scunthorpe Newspapers, and former Grimsby Telegraph deputy editor Nigel Lowther.

Mark will be the company’s managing director while Nigel will look after the editorial department.

Nigel said he was very excited about the first issue, due out on Thursday.

He said: “This is the first paid-for weekly newspaper in Cleethorpes since 1980.

“The two of us identified a gap in the market some time ago and we’ve working on it for a little while now. It’s one we feel deserves to be filled.

“We’re completely independent from any publisher and we’ve had a lot of people calling us which has been most welcome.

“We put together a comprehensive marketing campaign and the response has been terrific from both advertisers and the community.”

Some staff have already taken up their positions at the Chronicle’s new offices in Cleethorpes town centre with recruitment still ongoing. Nine jobs in total are to be created.

Nigel said the new Chronicle would be a “very traditional paper” and would not go into a head-to-head battle with local daily the Grimsby Telegraph.

He added: “It’s very much a traditional approach to producing a newspaper.

“It’s going to be community driven and maximise the number of names and faces in every edition.

“Editorially, we’re not going to try and compete with the Grimsby Telegraph. We see this as a complimentary product.

“It’s been all hands on deck and a huge amount of work putting together a very experienced team both editorially and commercially.

“We’re confident we will get out a product the community will be proud of.”

Nigel began his career with Grimsby and Scunthorpe Newspapers in 1988, as a trainee journalist, transferring to the sports desk in 1990.

In 1994 he switched back to news, becoming assistant news editor, and a year later became deputy news editor.

In 1998 he became the company’s new media manager and pioneered the introduction of the web across the region.

In 2002 he was appointed assistant editor, a position he held until 2003 when he became deputy editor.

He also worked on the Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr story which brought the paper national acclaim with a Press Gazette award for ‘team of the year’.

Comments

Diana Osborne (14/03/2008 16:39:33)
At last something different to the GY Telegraph, I just hope that it has better reading than what we have now which is all doom and gloom and thugs generally the headlines.
I wish you lots of success.
Diana Osborne

John Carlsen (20/03/2008 23:13:17)
Congrats to Mr Webb and Mr Lowther.
I agree with Diana. I do hope the Chronicle will challenge the local authority, Shoreline, and all the other organisations the Telegraph re-writes press releases for. Hopefully, it will get its people on the streets, using contacts, and writing the real stories.
This is an amazing opportunity for the area, to have the sort of journalism we were used to in the days of the late Mr Moore. Representing the people, asking questions. Front page news, not self congratulation, printing pages of web-comment and pathetic campaigns. Be brave fine fellows. Fight for your people and they will stand with you.