A regional publisher has decided to axe a long-standing free weekly paper and replace it with a new edition of an existing title.
Archant London has scrapped its Stratford & Newham Express, which was first published in 1866, but has created the Stratford Recorder – a new free edition of the paid-for Newham Recorder.
The Stratford edition will include a number of editorial and advertising change pages and aims to benefit from an increased number of rail and underground passengers, with free copies being distributed at four locations in Stratford, including the station and the Stratford Centre.
Archant’s decision to scrap the Express is part of a plan to develop its East London papers to meet new demographics after the 2012 Olympics and no jobs have been lost as a result of the move.
Editor Colin Grainger said: “The decision was taken to have a new presence in Stratford and launch the Recorder.
“The Express was only about 32 pages. What we are giving the public for free is doubling the size.
“The company has taken the view that after the 2012 Olympics, we can hopefully make it even bigger.”
The Stratford Recorder was launched last Wednesday with 80 pages.
Archant has also started distributing some free copies of the Newham Recorder at locations in East Ham and other areas.
Circulation of the Stratford & Newham Express was 21,778 in December 2009, when it was last ABC-audited.
The Newham Recorder series has been published since 1968.
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Um… wasn’t there actually a paid-for Stratford Recorder a few years back which was scrapped. So they’re actually bringing an old title back, not creating a new one…
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Spent seven years at the Express as sub then chief sub from late 60s to early 70s when it was owned by Wilson & Whitworth and George Lynn occupied the editor’s chair. It then held the Blue Ribbon for largest circulation of any weekly newspaper in the UK and groomed many big names for Fleet Street, TV and radio. Printed on site too. Got out when the asset-strippers moved in. Now it is no more. A sad, sad day.
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Mr Grainger is fooling himself. But for the 2012 Olympics his bosses would have closed the paper down altogether now. This is a stay of execution in case Archant can squeeze a few more drops of cash out of it via Olympic Fever. However the ‘new’ paper’s days are already numbered. You watch…
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