A new free weekly newspaper will hit the streets of Coventry next week.

The Coventry Observer is being launched by Observer Standard Newspapers Ltd, headed up by husband and wife team Chris and Pat Bullivant together with editorial director Beverley Rigby.

More than 120,000 copies will be delivered to homes and businesses across the city from Thursday, September 26, covering an area currently served by Trinity Mirror's Coventry Evening Telegraph and weekly Coventry Citizen.

During the past 30 years Chris and Pat have launched more than 50 newspapers, and their latest title will follow the look and style of the Observer Standard group's 14 exisiting titles which cover the Warwickshire and Worcestershire conurbations south of Birmingham, Coventry and also north Hertfordshire.

Managing director Pat said: "We're an entrepreneurial company. We attract talented people and to keep them we have to provide opportunities for them.

"Coventry is a natural progression for us as we already publish papers in neighbouring areas.

"It's a big launch for us as it's in the city and has been a huge undertaking."

The new paper has created a number of new jobs, including nine in editorial, and various roles in sales, production, accounts and distribution.

Michael Green, currently editor of the Rugby Observer, will edit the new title.

Chris and Pat launched the country's first free newspaper, The Banbury Focus, in 1970 and have since launched more than 50 others, including the country's first free daily title, The Daily News, in Birmingham.

Pat said: "Newspapers are in our blood, we love the business."

The Observer Standard group currently publishes 14 predominately free newspapers. Its Standard Series covers Worcester, Droitwich, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Alcester, Stratford and Southam; its Advertiser series covers Hitchin, Stevenege and Biggleswade and its Obsever Series covers Leamington, Kenilworth, Warwick and Rugby.

The launch of the new title will see the group grow from 320,213 copies (VFD J-J 2002) to in excess of 440,000 copies each week.

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