The Bracknell News was the only paid-for weekly newspaper in the country to experience a circulation increase during 2018, according to today’s ABC figures.
The News posted a modest increase of 1pc between January and December last year, when compared with the same period in 2017.
The Newsquest-owned News is a 75pc paid-for product, as it was in 2017, with ABC classing anything which is over 50pc paid-for in that category.
The Bridport News, another title owned by the same company, posted the best return for a 100pc paid-for product, recording a 2pc year-on-year circulation decline.
Among the non-dailies classed as free by ABC, Cornwall’s The Packet, a third Newsquest weekly, topped the charts with a 246pc increase.
In 2017, The Packet had been recorded as a 100pc paid-for product by ABC.
The Ely Standard, which is a 58pc free product, recorded the next-best figures with a 4pc year-on-year increase.
Other titles which recorded increases include The Messenger, which covers parts of Greater Manchester and the surrounding area, the Hunts Post and the Dunmow Broadcast.
All three of those newspapers are more than 96pc free products.
Full figures for paid-for weeklies, in order of circulation increase, are as follows. Scroll down for the list of free weeklies.
| Title | Jan-Dec 18 | YoY % Change | % Paid |
| Bracknell News | 2,738 | 1% | 75% Paid |
| Bridport News | 5,353 | -2% | 100% Paid |
| Stirling Observer (Fri) | 2,208 | -2% | 100% Paid |
| Arran Banner | 2,846 | -3% | 100% Paid |
| Reading Chronicle | 6,899 | -4% | 74% Paid |
| Slough Eton & Windsor Observer | 3,320 | -4% | 74% Paid |
| Blairgowrie Advertiser | 1,224 | -4% | 100% Paid |
| Inverness Courier (Fri) | 7,374 | -5% | 100% Paid |
| Stroud News & Journal | 7,021 | -5% | 100% Paid |
| The Oxford Times | 6,950 | -5% | 95% Paid |
| Campbeltown Courier & Argyllshire Advertiser | 4,814 | -5% | 100% Paid |
| Stirling Observer (Wed) | 4,814 | -5% | 100% Paid |
| Bucks Free Press | 10,078 | -6% | 80% Paid |
| Impartial Reporter | 9,430 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| The Galloway News | 4,555 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser | 4,405 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Romsey Advertiser | 4,349 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Tivy-Side Advertiser | 4,114 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Peeblesshire News | 2,939 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Annandale Herald and Moffat News | 2,651 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Strathearn Herald | 1,157 | -6% | 100% Paid |
| Hereford Times | 17,206 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Cumberland & Westmorland Herald | 11,390 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Oban Times | 9,820 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press | 4,911 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| South Shropshire Journal | 4,720 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Chard & Ilminster News | 3,084 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Largs & Millport Weekly News | 2,805 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Bicester Advertiser | 2,356 | -7% | 99% Paid |
| Milford Mercury | 1,568 | -7% | 100% Paid |
| Sunday Life | 30,435 | -8% | 99% Paid |
| Isle of Wight County Press | 21,245 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Westmorland Gazette | 14,894 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Darlington & Stockton Times | 13,117 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Goole Times (Incorporating Selby Times) | 11,671 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Western Telegraph | 9,475 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| East Lothian Courier | 9,192 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Great Yarmouth Mercury | 9,181 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Essex County Standard | 8,700 | -8% | 99% Paid |
| Hampshire Chronicle | 6,897 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Gloucestershire Gazette | 6,744 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Bridgwater Mercury | 5,845 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| West Highland Free Press | 5,155 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| John O’Groat Journal | 4,635 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Witney Gazette | 4,065 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Sidmouth Herald | 4,028 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Knutsford Guardian | 3,946 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Annandale Observer | 3,901 | -8% | 100% Paid |
| Ayrshire Post | 11,781 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Salisbury Journal | 11,738 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Somerset County Gazette | 10,195 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Romford Recorder | 9,741 | -9% | 61% Paid |
| Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury | 9,081 | -9% | 93% Paid |
| Clacton Gazette | 8,776 | -9% | 99% Paid |
| Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) | 5,540 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Harwich & Manningtree Standard | 4,067 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| North Norfolk News | 3,891 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Beccles & Bungay Journal | 3,297 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Helensburgh Advertiser | 3,138 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Ludlow Advertiser | 2,822 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Border Telegraph | 2,384 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Northern Times | 2,372 | -9% | 100% Paid |
| Warrington Guardian | 11,743 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Dunfermline Press & West of Fife Advertiser | 8,350 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) | 7,774 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Macclesfield Express | 5,666 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Maldon & Burnham Standard | 4,434 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Ross-shire Journal | 3,779 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Cumnock Chronicle | 3,332 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Ashbourne News Telegraph | 3,254 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle | 2,928 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Halstead Gazette | 2,776 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) | 2,499 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News | 1,881 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Forres Gazette | 1,559 | -10% | 100% Paid |
| Cumberland News | 14,502 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Hexham Courant | 9,174 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Bath Chronicle | 7,682 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Malvern Gazette | 7,396 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Lowestoft Journal | 7,393 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Boston Target | 6,411 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Andover Advertiser | 6,067 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Crewe Chronicle | 6,063 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Wilts & Glos Standard | 5,596 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald | 5,521 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Rossendale Free Press | 4,944 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Lennox Herald | 4,485 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Bridgnorth Journal | 4,105 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Free Press Monmouthshire & Pontypool | 2,851 | -11% | 99% Paid |
| Central Fife Times & Advertiser | 2,816 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| Penarth Times | 2,816 | -11% | 99% Paid |
| Barry & District News | 2,642 | -11% | 97% Paid |
| Strathspey & Badenoch Herald | 2,582 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| The Huntly Express | 1,599 | -11% | 100% Paid |
| The Watford Observer | 7,959 | -12% | 87% Paid |
| West Cumberland Times & Star | 7,670 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| Bury Times | 7,473 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| Kilmarnock Standard | 6,588 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| The Herald | 5,232 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Tue) | 4,405 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| South Wales Guardian | 3,379 | -12% | 100% Paid |
| Barnsley Chronicle | 17,374 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Lincolnshire Echo | 11,342 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Exeter – Express & Echo (Thursday) | 10,214 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Gazette & Herald | 9,157 | -13% | 98% Paid |
| Wiltshire Times | 6,179 | -13% | 98% Paid |
| Newport Advertiser | 3,826 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Caithness Courier | 3,263 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Sleaford Target | 2,721 | -13% | 100% Paid |
| Sunday Mercury | 11,953 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Craven Herald & Pioneer | 7,443 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Guardian (Northwich, Winsford & Middlewich) | 7,010 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Basingstoke Gazette | 6,232 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Hinckley Times | 6,220 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Whitehaven News | 6,213 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Llanelli Star | 5,816 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Braintree & Witham Times | 5,713 | -14% | 99% Paid |
| Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser | 5,177 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Accrington Observer | 4,603 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Dereham & Fakenham Times | 3,401 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette | 2,623 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Rutherglen Reformer | 1,918 | -14% | 100% Paid |
| Newcastle Sunday Sun | 17,071 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Torquay – Herald Express | 12,031 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Scunthorpe Telegraph | 10,708 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Hamilton Advertiser | 7,156 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Carmarthen Journal | 7,099 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Yorkshire – Gazette & Herald | 6,005 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Chester Chronicle | 6,001 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Black Country Bugle | 5,610 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| The Mid Devon Gazette | 5,214 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Retford Times | 4,290 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News | 4,102 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| East Kilbride News | 3,890 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Wishaw Press | 3,835 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Ayr Advertiser | 1,901 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| The Banffshire Herald | 1,059 | -15% | 100% Paid |
| Liverpool Sunday Echo | 12,354 | -16% | 99% Paid |
| Wales on Sunday | 8,279 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Loughborough Echo | 6,664 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Leek Post & Times | 6,460 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Northern Scot | 6,426 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Staffordshire Newsletter | 6,316 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Isle of Thanet Gazette | 5,050 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser | 4,224 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Clydebank Post | 3,133 | -16% | 100% Paid |
| Rochdale Observer (Sat) | 6,242 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| The West Lothian Courier | 4,599 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| Inverness Courier (Tue) | 4,352 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| Mid Somerset Gazette | 4,269 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| Dover Express | 3,074 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| East Coast and The Wolds Target | 2,979 | -17% | 100% Paid |
| Kent and Sussex Courier | 10,696 | -18% | 100% Paid |
| West Briton | 12,551 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Essex Chronicle | 10,943 | -19% | 99% Paid |
| North Devon Journal | 10,586 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Tamworth Herald | 8,084 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Cornishman | 6,795 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Sevenoaks Chronicle | 4,575 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Glamorgan Gazette | 3,862 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Epping Forest Guardian | 2,825 | -19% | 74% Paid |
| Irvine Times | 1,493 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Hackney Gazette | 1,363 | -19% | 91% Paid |
| Cynon Valley Leader | 1,323 | -19% | 100% Paid |
| Western Gazette | 10,531 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Gloucestershire Echo | 7,621 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Hertfordshire Mercury | 7,301 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Keighley News | 5,419 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Stockport Express | 4,201 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Mid Somerset Journal | 4,092 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Rochdale Observer (Wed) | 3,238 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Barking & Dagenham Post | 2,975 | -20% | 75% Paid |
| The Banffshire Advertiser | 1,507 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| North Star | 1,457 | -20% | 100% Paid |
| Surrey Mirror | 5,328 | -21% | 100% Paid |
| Croydon Advertiser | 4,918 | -21% | 100% Paid |
| Highland News | 2,535 | -21% | 100% Paid |
| Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer | 2,024 | -21% | 100% Paid |
| Ham & High Broadway | 415 | -21% | 99% Paid |
| Aldershot News & Mail | 3,618 | -22% | 100% Paid |
| Somerset Guardian | 2,897 | -22% | 100% Paid |
| Ilkley Gazette | 2,294 | -22% | 100% Paid |
| Rhondda Leader | 1,629 | -22% | 100% Paid |
| Gloucester Citizen | 7,449 | -23% | 100% Paid |
| Surrey Advertiser | 10,946 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| Oldham Times | 5,147 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| North Wales Weekly News | 3,848 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| Birmingham Post | 2,545 | -24% | 95% Paid |
| Southport Visiter | 2,323 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| Merthyr Express | 2,115 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer | 1,277 | -24% | 100% Paid |
| Cornish Guardian | 8,881 | -25% | 100% Paid |
| Middleton Guardian | 1,454 | -25% | 100% Paid |
| Gwent Gazette | 1,020 | -25% | 100% Paid |
| The Herald on Sunday | 13,648 | -26% | 100% Paid |
| Ormskirk Advertiser | 1,264 | -26% | 100% Paid |
| Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald | 2,502 | -29% | 100% Paid |
| Frome Standard | 2,269 | -30% | 100% Paid |
| Banffshire Journal | 1,428 | -30% | 100% Paid |
| Holyhead and Bangor Mail | 2,115 | -32% | 100% Paid |
| Scotland on Sunday | 10,995 | -33% | 95% Paid |
| Heywood Advertiser | 1,010 | -34% | 100% Paid |
| Welwyn Hatfield Times | 4,597 | -35% | 100% Paid |
| Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter | 1,145 | -35% | 100% Paid |
| East Grinstead Courier | 864 | -36% | 100% Paid |
| Brentwood Gazette | 3,369 | -56% | 97% Paid |
| Folkestone Herald | 4,103 | -57% | 100% Paid |
| Sunday National | 12,844 | N/A | 100% Paid |
| County Times | 10,371 | N/A | 100% Paid |
| Border Counties Advertiser | 5,469 | N/A | 100% Paid |
| Your Local Guardian | 4,272 | N/A | 56% Paid |
| Denbighshire Free Press | 3,727 | N/A | 100% Paid |
| Whitchurch Herald | 2,570 | N/A | 100% Paid |
The list of free titles is as follows:
| Title | Jan-Dec 18 | Yoy % Change | % Free |
| Falmouth & Helston Packet | 16,267 | 246% | 73% Free |
| Ely Standard | 5,590 | 4% | 58% Free |
| The Messenger | 35,422 | 2% | 98% Free |
| Hunts Post | 36,608 | 1% | 96% Free |
| Dunmow Broadcast | 11,257 | 1% | 99% Free |
| Champion | 164,579 | 0% | 100% Free |
| Waltham Forest News | 97,376 | 0% | 100% Free |
| Hackney Today | 91,843 | 0% | 100% Free |
| Leigh, Tyldesley & Atherton Journal | 28,411 | 0% | 97% Free |
| Letchworth GC & Baldock Comet | 18,313 | 0% | 98% Free |
| Saffron Walden Reporter | 14,972 | 0% | 99% Free |
| North Somerset Times | 34,971 | -1% | 99% Free |
| Stevenage Comet | 24,847 | -1% | 99% Free |
| Hitchin Comet | 16,974 | -1% | 99% Free |
| Wisbech Standard | 9,464 | -1% | 93% Free |
| Bromley Times | 4,814 | -1% | 100% Free |
| The Advertiser – Waveney Edition | 39,385 | -2% | 100% Free |
| The Advertiser – Yarmouth Edition | 36,845 | -2% | 100% Free |
| Cambs Times | 11,741 | -2% | 96% Free |
| Brentwood Recorder | 2,251 | -2% | 99% Free |
| The Shuttle | 28,519 | -3% | 91% Free |
| Royston Crow | 10,023 | -3% | 95% Free |
| The Herts Advertiser | 32,729 | -4% | 96% Free |
| The Evesham and Cotswold Journal | 19,198 | -4% | 77% Free |
| Brent and Kilburn Times | 11,275 | -4% | 96% Free |
| Dumfries Courier | 18,911 | -5% | 100% Free |
| Telford Journal | 36,837 | -6% | 100% Free |
| Wirral Globe | 79,351 | -7% | 98% Free |
| Shrewsbury Chronicle | 27,366 | -7% | 96% Free |
| Midweek – Weston Super Mare | 23,289 | -7% | 100% Free |
| Sudbury Mercury | 11,217 | -8% | 100% Free |
| Wymondham & Attleborough Mercury | 10,734 | -8% | 99% Free |
| Stowmarket Mercury | 10,664 | -8% | 100% Free |
| St. Helens Star | 45,276 | -9% | 97% Free |
| Halesowen News | 25,790 | -9% | 100% Free |
| Islington Gazette | 5,939 | -9% | 81% Free |
| North Devon Gazette | 31,117 | -10% | 98% Free |
| Chorley & Leyland Citizen | 15,774 | -10% | 100% Free |
| Biggleswade, Sandy & Potton Comet | 8,334 | -11% | 100% Free |
| Sutton Coldfield Observer | 37,342 | -12% | 99% Free |
| Diss Mercury | 12,730 | -13% | 99% Free |
| Worcester Journal (Berrows) | 27,013 | -14% | 99% Free |
| Stourbridge News | 33,783 | -15% | 99% Free |
| Redditch & Alcester Advertiser | 28,572 | -15% | 99% Free |
| Bury St Edmunds Mercury | 19,211 | -15% | 100% Free |
| Bromsgrove Advertiser/Droitwich Spa Advertiser | 26,797 | -16% | 99% Free |
| Runcorn and Widnes World | 18,572 | -16% | 100% Free |
| Thetford & Watton Times | 12,633 | -16% | 97% Free |
| Romford and Havering Post | 11,277 | -16% | 100% Free |
| Newham Recorder | 9,375 | -16% | 86% Free |
| Ilford Recorder | 7,209 | -17% | 75% Free |
| Lichfield Mercury | 21,642 | -18% | 97% Free |
| Norwich Extra | 46,471 | -19% | 100% Free |
| Warrington Post | 11,186 | -20% | 100% Free |
| Manchester Weekly News | 178,425 | -24% | 100% Free |
| Reading Midweek | 22,617 | -26% | 100% Free |
| Midweek (Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead) | 19,606 | -27% | 100% Free |
| Midweek Visiter | 39,390 | -30% | 100% Free |
| Ham and High Express | 5,560 | -31% | 67% Free |
| Docklands & East London Advertiser | 3,647 | -31% | 88% Free |
| Nuneaton News | 18,789 | -33% | 91% Free |
| Wood and Vale | 3,135 | -33% | 98% Free |
| Ealing Gazette | 14,925 | -35% | 99% Free |
| Paisley People | 1,221 | -35% | 100% Free |
| Fife & Kinross Extra | 6,920 | -38% | 100% Free |
| Wanstead & Woodford Recorder | 3,555 | -38% | 96% Free |
| Chronicle and Informer | 20,185 | -39% | 100% Free |
| The Reporter | 13,071 | -40% | 99% Free |
| Bexley Times | 5,625 | -46% | 98% Free |
| Uxbridge Gazette | 13,013 | -49% | 100% Free |
| Chester-Le-Street Advertiser | 6,928 | -50% | 96% Free |
| Consett-Stanley Advertiser | 10,679 | -53% | 96% Free |
| Durham Advertiser | 9,864 | -53% | 94% Free |
| Chronicle Week | 212,276 | N/A | 100% Free |
| Shrewsbury Ad Mag | 31,011 | N/A | 100% Free |
| Exmouth Journal | 26,432 | N/A | 94% Free |
| Ipswich Extra | 14,140 | N/A | 100% Free |
| East Suffolk Extra | 10,021 | N/A | 100% Free |
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Can anyone solve the mystery of how to discover the circulations of Johnston Press – sorry, JPImedia – weeklies which no longer grace the ABCs? They seem to be a closely-guarded secret, unavailable for the last five years or so on internet searches. I’m assuming that they do still sell a few copies.
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My experience is that as an advertiser I asked for the circulation of my local JP title. Ad rep would not (or could not) tell me. All I received was readership for the print and web combined.
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I wonder how many “shell” newspapers are on that list?
I know of 3-4 such Reach titles around here, as in weekly papers which have no staff at all and are entirely populated by wholescale copy and pasted pages from the local daily over the past week.
No new content whatsoever, but the audacity to charge readers between £1 and £1.50 for no more than 12 news pages, a good percentage of which has nothing to do with the patch.
Once proud newspapers whose legacies are being dragged through the mud for the sake of a few measly bob. I honestly wish they’d close them down and let them die with dignity.
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Sadly, Trinity Man, I believe you will get your wish sooner than you think. Call it intuition, call it cynicism, call it just a feeling in my water, but I smell the smell of massive axings very soon. Guess what – it will all be blamed on Brexit.
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I firmly believe the car crash strategy of regular cover price rises is a major factor in the rapid decline of many of these papers, the foolish idea that charging more for less in a shrinking market will offset losses and increase revenue shows not how out of ideas an desperate things have become.
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I really can’t think many of these papers have much of a future looking at the god awful figures above,certainly not in newsprint form that’s for sure.
The ever downward spiral of declining sales goes on while costs to produce increase so it doesn’t take an expert on financial matters to see that when profitability and viability go there’s hardly any options left other than closure and for some of the papers listed it’ll be a happy release now they’ve become thin sickly versions of the once essential local papers they once were.
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