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New weekly ready to hit the North West

The North West’s newest weekly paper is gearing up for launch, and is on course to hit the streets on Thursday.

Editor Bob Waterhouse and his team are putting the finishing touches to The North West Enquirer, and Bob told HoldtheFrontPage that readers could look forward to an “all-round, newsy weekly”.

The new title will cover an area which takes in Carlisle, north Staffordshire, the Welsh border and the High Peak area of Derbyshire, as well as Liverpool and Manchester, where paper is based.

It will hit the region with a first issue print run of between 100,000 and 120,000, and publishers are then aiming to achieve a steady circulation of 20,000.

To coincide with the launch a poster campaign has begun, targeted mainly at Liverpool and Manchester.

The all-important retailers are also being wooed with a double discount on the first issue and a free flights promotion with Monarch.

And a large consumer promotion is in the pipeline as well as radio and TV PR activity.

Publishing director Nicola Young said: “The response from advertisers has been very encouraging. There is no other way of targeting the region’s AB adults, this is a new route into the market.”

Bob also said he was not concerned about the decision by the neighbouring Manchester Evening News to distribute 50,000 free copies in the city centre each day.

He said: “Our paper is for the whole region, not just Manchester, and is aimed at a different audience.

“They have obviously taken a commercial decision, but I don’t think it will affect us or has been made because of us.”

A companion website, www.nw-enquirer.co.uk, will also launch on Thursday. Both will be aiming to meet the needs of people who live in and work in the North West and advertisers who want to reach a wider audience than that offered by more localised titles.

A seven-figure sum was raised to fund the launch, and the title has the backing of two venture capital firms and a number of private investors. Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or e-mail [email protected]