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Publisher to expand coverage of county with new ‘Live’ brand

Alan WoodsA regional publisher is set to expand its coverage of a county amid an online rebrand.

Reach plc has confirmed it is launching Herts Live, which will replace the website of the Hertfordshire Mercury.

The move will see journalists working for the title cover stories from further afield than the Mercury’s current patch into areas including Stevenage, St Albans, Watford and Hemel Hempstead.

The new site will be launched in March with an editorial team of five, and the Mercury’s print edition will be unaffected by the move.

Alan Woods, pictured, editor of Essex Live and the Mercury, told HTFP: “We are very excited to expand the coverage of Herts and to bring readers great content in a simple way, building on the Essex Live model.

“The launch of Herts Live will be a first for the people of Hertfordshire – a countywide news platform offering unrivalled coverage of the stories that matter to our readers most.

“We want to get to all corners of the county and tell the stories of the brilliant and inspiring people and businesses that call Hertfordshire their home.”

The change is part of an expansion of Reach’s ‘Live’ brand, announced in November, which will see 46 jobs created across the country.

New digital-only titles covering Sunderland, County Durham, Sheffield, North Yorkshire, Bradford, Newport and Bolton are set to be launched as part of the project.