West Midlands-based Bullivant Media secured the bragging rights for weekly free titles in the latest ABCs by securing the top four positions in the national league table.
The six-monthly ABC figures for the period July to December 2015 showed 21 free titles increased their circulation in the second half of last year compared to the same period in 2014.
The top four positions all went to Bullivant Media titles, with the Stratford-upon-Avon Observer up 28.6pc year-on-year.
It was followed by the Evesham Observer, up 22.6pc, the Bromsgrove Standard, up 19.8pc and the Coventry Observer, up 9.6pc.
The full list of circulation figures for weekly free or predominantly free titles is as follows:
| Title | Total | Y-on-Y pc |
| Stratford upon Avon Observer | 16,123 | 28.6 |
| Evesham Observer | 16,318 | 22.6 |
| Bromsgrove Standard | 38,467 | 19.8 |
| Coventry Observer | 54,111 | 9.6 |
| North Somerset Times | 37,298 | 8.4 |
| Worcester Observer | 48,778 | 8.4 |
| Solihull Observer | 57,282 | 8.3 |
| Redditch & Alcester Standard | 40,946 | 7.4 |
| Stretford & Urmston Messenger | 19,205 | 4.2 |
| Leamington Spa Observer | 22,521 | 2.6 |
| Rugby Observer | 26,192 | 1.8 |
| Telford Journal | 41,045 | 1 |
| KM Extra (Thanet) | 40,815 | 0.9 |
| Wirral Globe | 98,196 | 0.9 |
| Champion | 164,194 | 0.7 |
| Consett-Stanley Advertiser | 23,006 | 0.7 |
| Crewe and Nantwich Guardian | 23,307 | 0.7 |
| Waltham Forest News | 97,198 | 0.4 |
| Hackney Today | 91,665 | 0.3 |
| Halesowen Chronicle | 27,872 | 0.2 |
| East End Life | 82,395 | 0.1 |
| Aberdeen Citizen | 52,893 | 0 |
| Great Barr Observer | 16,180 | 0 |
| Maidenhead Advertiser (Pick Ups) | 1,530 | 0 |
| Sutton Coldfield Observer | 44,290 | 0 |
| Walsall Chronicle | 43,694 | 0 |
| Midweek – Weston Super Mare | 29,372 | -0.1 |
| Cannock Chronicle | 53,508 | -0.2 |
| St. Helens Star | 66,381 | -0.2 |
| Wolverhampton Chronicle | 47,651 | -0.2 |
| Dudley Chronicle | 35,247 | -0.4 |
| Redditch Advertiser | 38,951 | -0.6 |
| Sandwell Chronicle | 44,625 | -0.6 |
| Lichfield Mercury | 29,234 | -0.8 |
| Stroud Life | 11,925 | -0.8 |
| Slough & Windsor Express | 44,461 | -0.9 |
| Runcorn and Widnes World | 27,636 | -1 |
| Messenger Extra (Gravesend, Dartford and Swanley) | 21,033 | -1.5 |
| North Devon Gazette | 41,436 | -1.6 |
| Stourbridge News | 47,070 | -1.7 |
| Worcester Journal (Berrows) | 39,905 | -1.7 |
| KM Extra (Maidstone) | 14,548 | -1.9 |
| Durham Advertiser | 20,645 | -2 |
| KM Extra Ashford | 8,260 | -2.1 |
| Halesowen News | 33,971 | -2.2 |
| Chester-Le-Street Advertiser | 13,566 | -2.3 |
| Shrewsbury Chronicle | 31,666 | -2.3 |
| KM Extra (Folkestone and Hythe) | 8,602 | -2.8 |
| KM Extra (Medway) | 30,268 | -3.1 |
| Chorley & Leyland Citizen | 21,423 | -3.2 |
| The Shuttle | 34,492 | -3.3 |
| Oswestry and Border Chronicle | 10,780 | -3.7 |
| Exmouth Herald | 15,424 | -3.8 |
| Dumfries Courier | 20,817 | -3.9 |
| Stourbridge Chronicle | 36,453 | -4 |
| Stirling News incorporating Alloa and Hillfoots Weekender | 14,972 | -4.1 |
| Dudley News | 28,685 | -4.3 |
| North Yorkshire Advertiser | 19,283 | -4.5 |
| Banbury Cake | 13,054 | -4.7 |
| The Evesham and Cotswold Journal | 25,682 | -4.9 |
| KM Extra (Canterbury) | 26,404 | -5.2 |
| Sale & Altrincham Messenger | 39,074 | -5.3 |
| Wiltshire Star | 23,711 | -5.5 |
| Advertiser | 30,006 | -5.7 |
| Midweek (Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead) | 37,271 | -6.9 |
| Nuneaton News | 28,308 | -6.9 |
| Fife & Kinross Extra | 16,086 | -7 |
| Swindon Star | 23,525 | -7.3 |
| The London Magazine | 72,979 | -7.3 |
| Wanstead & Woodford Guardian | 3,300 | -8.1 |
| Northern Scot Mid Week Extra | 18,469 | -9.4 |
| Rotherham Record | 52,225 | -9.7 |
| Solihull News | 46,580 | -10 |
| Dearne Valley Weekender | 49,726 | -10.3 |
| Bracknell & Wokingham Weekender | 23,411 | -10.5 |
| Campaign | 20,498 | -10.8 |
| Walsall Advertiser | 42,800 | -11 |
| Newbury & Thatcham Advertiser | 13,135 | -12.9 |
| Gloucestershire Independent | 9,755 | -13.5 |
| Leigh, Tyldesley & Atherton Journal | 35,282 | -14.5 |
| Surrey & Hants Star Courier | 42,145 | -18.1 |
| Post Lite | 95,420 | -18.7 |
| Staines Informer | 22,963 | -19.4 |
| Wear Valley Advertiser | 14,338 | -20.6 |
| Inverness Scene | 12,539 | -20.9 |
| Paisley People | 3,532 | -21.8 |
| Reading Midweek | 41,552 | -22.5 |
Circulations of weekly free titles for which no year-on-year comparison was given were as follows:
| Title | Total | Y-on-Y pc |
| Bexley Times | 15,659 | |
| Brent and Kilburn Times | 14,989 | |
| Brentwood Recorder | 2,390 | |
| Bromley Times | 4,968 | |
| Bromsgrove Advertiser/Droitwich Spa Advertiser | 38,260 | |
| Bury St Edmunds Mercury | 23,910 | |
| Bury Times (complimentary copies) | 984 | |
| Cambs Times | 12,218 | |
| Coastal Scene | 9,470 | |
| Crawley News | 16,039 | |
| Darlington Aycliffe and Sedgefield Advertiser | 29,745 | |
| Diss Mercury | 15,635 | |
| Docklands & East London Advertiser | 6,885 | |
| Dunmow Broadcast | 12,563 | |
| Ealing & Acton Gazette | 22,448 | |
| Ely Standard | 5,752 | |
| Folkestone Herald | 17,110 | |
| Ham and High Express | 8,912 | |
| Hitchin Comet | 18,553 | |
| Hounslow Chronicle | 18,133 | |
| Hunts Post | 40,254 | |
| Islington Gazette | 5,722 | |
| Kent On Sunday | 43,515 | |
| Letchworth GC & Baldock Comet | 20,157 | |
| Manchester Weekly News | 243,480 | |
| Mayfair Times | 20,840 | |
| Midweek Mercury (Hitchin) | 30,246 | |
| Midweek Mercury (Stevenage) | 16,301 | |
| Midweek Visiter | 52,133 | |
| Romford and Havering Post | 16,724 | |
| Royston Crow | 12,237 | |
| Saffron Walden Reporter | 16,923 | |
| Stevenage Comet | 30,053 | |
| Stowmarket Mercury | 12,715 | |
| Sudbury Mercury | 13,714 | |
| Teesside Herald & Post | 62,037 | |
| The Advertiser – Norwich Edition | 49,202 | |
| The Advertiser – Waveney Edition | 43,417 | |
| The Advertiser – Yarmouth Edition | 41,926 | |
| The Barnsley Independent | 45,113 | |
| The Herts Advertiser | 39,727 | |
| The Reporter | 28,729 | |
| Thetford & Watton Times | 18,742 | |
| Times (Faversham, Whitstable & Herne Bay and Canterbury) | 27,097 | |
| Ulverston and South Lakes Citizen | 9,050 | |
| Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette | 25,344 | |
| Warrington Midweek | 23,374 | |
| Westmorland Gazette (complimentary copies) | 100 | |
| Wisbech Standard | 9,764 | |
| Wood and Vale | 6,016 | |
| Woodford Recorder | 3,028 | |
| Wymondham & Attleborough Mercury | 13,651 |
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Bullivant’s figures do tend to enjoy a roller coaster pattern. Peek when the figures are taken and then a nice drop down until the next time.
A rather large pinch of salt to go with these for any real indication of the state of the free titles around.
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Increasing the circulation of free weekly titles… so printing more copies then.
Hardly something which warrants “bragging rights”!
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How is this ‘bragging rights’? They’re free papers, they’re just choosing to give more of them out…
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Fantastic New`s for the Evesham Observer, As the Representative of Evesham Observer this gives me much Pride.
As a local newspaper company that covers Wawickshire and Worcesteshire with FREE newspapers that is paid by the company of Bullivant media to print copies to it’s audiance to provide FREE local new`s as a service. Unlike paid for titles within these areas where as the print is paid for by the Reader.
Well Done Bullivant media and i will take the Bragging rights.
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Oh dear Danielle green bull
Think you’re jumping the gun a bit with your excitement
All you’re doing is really celebrating your company printing more of their own FREE copies which are being given away FREE as opposed to the good people of the area buying copies which aren’t FREE so therefore has a true value.
The fact that people will buy a paper indicates a value to them as opposed to taking one simply because it’s FREE
Sorry to chuck a bucket of cold water over your excitement but you’re celebrating something of little real value to the area whilst demeaning the paid for title which has proven a market for its title
I wonder how many people would buy your titles if they had a cover price?
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Dear South Side Johnny, you are absolutely correct in your statement that all of the newspapers my family currently publish are free, I’m proud of the fact that I conceived the gendre 46 years ago this coming bonfire night and have launched more than 40 titles since giving employment to many including journalists who have gone on to be nationally known personalities, would it be infra dig to enquire how many journalists you have employed in your career, I do hope so!. I do not make a habit of responding to your sort of attack on my company and people but, on this occasion I write to congratulate and thank everyone who works with me and my family in the production of newspapers I am proud to have delivered to about a third of a million homes each week. All regional newspapers have had a tough time over the last decade, the fact that Bullivant Media titles have 9 out of the top 11 increases of circulation in the last year indicates our confidence in the future of our industry, our confidence, in large measure. Is due to the fantastic people who work with us and whom I would like to thank again. One last point, SSJ, are you a journalist or, as your Monica indicates a purveyor of inexpensive condoms?
Chris Bullivant Snr.
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Well done Chris. I am saddened by the number of sad, bitter, ex journos who never stop moaning at any success story. It’s rather sad, I spent my entire life in the regional press, moved about lots of times to find work in the business. Why do journalists thinks they arevso bloody important, the public could not give a toss these days if avpaper is free or paid for.
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This is great and all, but surely a look at Bullivant Media’s most recent filed accounts gives you a more accurate reflection of where the company is at right now..
And I quote: “The company is insolvent and relies on the support of its bankers. Assurances have been received that such support will continue to be given.”
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Well done Bullivant Media. You’re a great company to work for and I’m proud of all we have achieved over the last few years.
You’re also wrong Obsman. The Bullivants purchased Observer Standard Newspapers from insolvency a few years ago. Bullivant Media is doing well in print and online, and going from strength to strength.
Go Bullivants!
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There ARE some very good free papers out there! Check out John Elworthy’s Cambridge Times for example.
Others ARE rubbish – our own for example, which just trots a handful of stories from the previous week’s paid-for, only a day later!!
Once thought that ALL papers would be free one day, covered by the progress of advertising avenues: then along came the suits to give it all away without revenue!!
But most of these papers DO try and on many areas are the last remaining bastions of local journalism, so good luck to them all.
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I, too, offer my congrats to Bullivants as a success story, which is heartening to hear of in these days of print woe. Well done to them. I just hope, however, that they have a lot of subs who know where to put an apostrophe (Danielle) and how to spell (Chris).
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Surprised to see the council owned newspapers are included in these figures alongside real newspapers. A quick scroll down the list highlights Hackney Today and Waltham Forest News, and I’m sure there are others.
Being included in ABC gives legitimacy to these products, something for the organisation to think about. To my mind they shouldn’t be listed with privately owned papers.
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