Two of Northern Ireland’s oldest weekly newspapers have downsized to compact format after more than 100 years as broadsheets.

The family-owned County Down Spectator, pictured below, made the switch along with sister title the Newtownards Chronicle last week.

Managing director David Alexander said: “For well over 100 years, the Spectator and the Chronicle have brought all the local news, sport and advertising to the people of North Down and Ards in the familiar broadsheet layout.

” This change in size represents the biggest change in the history of these two newspapers.  However, we remain firmly committed to bringing our readers the same news and views they expect from us as the voice of their local community.”

Spectator and Chronicle Newspapers was established by the Alexander family and continues to be run as an independent family business.

It has published the Newtownards Chronicle since 1874 and the County Down Spectator since 1904.

The company sais the change in size aimed to reflect “a change in pace of life  for the  papers.”

However it stressed that the style and content of the papers will remain the same in line with what readers are used to.

General manager Stuart Kennedy said: “We are really excited about the big launch of our new compact paper.

“Even in the ever changing world of digital media, we firmly believe that there continues to be a place for the local weekly newspaper and we are thrilled to be starting a new era.”