A regional editor who took his paper weekly after more than 200 years as a daily has claimed the title is “far more successful” as a result.

Sam Holliday, left, bowed out as editor of the Bath Chronicle last Friday after nearly seven years in charge.

In a farewell column, he acknowledged that some readers would never forgive him for having overseen the paper’s change of frequency in 2007.

But he defended the move saying the paper was now not only more successful but also more respected.

Wrote Sam:  “Some of you may never have forgiven me for being part of the team that turned the Chronicle from a daily paper to a weekly one but the truth is that was a move that has secured the paper’s long-term future and has made it a far more successful and respected title as a result.

“We have won a number of awards since becoming weekly but far more importantly, we’ve won more readers and when combined with our success online and our increasingly strong presence on the social media, we are now being read by more people than ever before. And I’m extremely proud of that fact.”

Sam said he still had “absolutely no idea” what he was going to do next but added:  “I have just reached a stage in my life where I feel I need to do something different.”

Northcliffe Media has yet to name a permanent successor to Sam but deputy editor Paul Wiltshire is running the paper for the time being.

Sam’s farewell column can be read in full here.

Although the print version has come to an end, however, Sam is to continue blogging at the same address.