A former geography teacher and butcher has been appointed editor of the Galloway Gazette.

Stephen Norris had been acting editor at the weekly title since July, and has now been officially installed in the role.

The 47-year-old’s previous jobs have included butcher, baker and geography teacher, and he has been at the Gazette – his first newspaper – for just over two years.

He also spent time as a councillor and stood for the Scottish National Party in the 1999 Scottish Parliament elections, missing out on becoming an MSP.

Stephen (pictured) told HoldtheFrontPage: “When my political career didn’t come to fruition I decided that journalism was a not unrelated occupation.

“And when this vacancy became apparent I made sure that I rapidly acquired the skills to do the job – and I’m enjoying it.”

The paid-for weekly has a circulation of 6,582 (Jan to June 2005) and currently covers central and western Galloway, but Stephen hopes it will be possible to expand its patch and so entice new readers.

He said: “There are various things that I would like to do and new directions that I would like to take the paper.

“I want to make sure the paper covers the area that gives it its name and expand it geographically towards the east.”

Stephen hopes that new owners Johnston Press – which bought the Gazette last summer – will also provide opportunities to improve the paper.

He said: “At the moment the paper has 48 pages but we are limited to 16 of these in colour. I’d like to think that in the near future this could go up right through the paper.

“In a competitive market it is the little extras that make a difference.”

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