View From Publishing, launched three years ago by veteran West Country journalist Philip Evans, distributes a series of 12 weekly community titles in towns across Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

Advertising revenues for the year ending September 2008 have topped the £1m mark for the first time and represent a 24pc increase on the previous year.

Published in three clusters around the communities of Honiton, Devon, Bridport, Dorset, and Crewkerne, Somerset, the View From titles have an ABC group figure of 41,240.

Said Philip: "Like all other publishers in the South West, we have experienced a challenging summer but by concentrating on local retail and creative features we are still growing sales.

"September revenues were six per cent up on August and 20pc on September last year. We have seen a further 3.5pc increase in October."

The View From titles are delivered to bulk drops at more than 500 outlets in 120 locations across their distribution area.

The group also publishes a monthly community journal in the Blackdown Hills, near Taunton, with an 8,000 distribution.

When Philip launched the group in April 2005 he had seven full-time staff. View From now employs more than 30 full and part-time workers, producing over 200 tabloid pages a week.

He said revenues were continuing to rise despite strong competition from Northcliffe, Archant and Newsquest titles.

"We don't underestimate the strength of the competition or the pressures on advertising budgets at this time, but the community content of our newspapers have become compulsive reading in the small towns we serve and local advertisers recognise this. Local, local, local is the mantra," he said.

The group is now starting to attract advertising from national retailers. View From is represented by Mediaforce, who have booked advertising from Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Sainbury's, Lidl and Harveys in recent weeks.

Said Mediaforce managing director Lawrie Proctor: "View From titles are real community newspapers, hugely popular in their localities, and agencies are starting to appreciate that bulk drop frees with ABC accreditation can deliver for their clients in a cost effective manner."

The View From titles are published in Honiton, Sidmouth, Axminster, Seaton, Colyton, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Beaminster, Dorchester, Crewkerne, Chard, Ilminster and the Blackdown Hills.

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