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ABCs: Weekly tops circulation charts after launching ‘paper of record’ fight

Brian WilsonA weekly title that launched a fresh bid to be its patch’s “paper of record” has topped the latest circulation charts.

The Stornoway Gazette recorded an increase in circulation of 18pc between January and December last year, when compared with 2020, the newest ABC figures for weekly titles show.

The boost for the Gazette comes after owner JPIMEdia installed Murray MacLeod and Brian Wilson to the roles of editor and editor-at-large respectively early in 2021.

Speaking after his appointment, Brian, pictured, said he felt a “duty to help restore the Gazette as a paper of record for the islands”.

The Gazette was the only totally paid-for regional title to post an increase for the reporting period.

However, more than a dozen Archant titles, some of which are partially paid-for, also experienced circulation rises. along with three council-run titles.

At the other end of the scale, JPI’s News Post Leader showed a 99pc decrease in circulation owing to the publisher’s decision to switch the South-East Northumberland title from free to paid-for at the end of April.

The Crawley Observer, Hemel Hempstead Gazette and Nuneaton News also recorded drops of more than 40pc after ceasing distribution of free copies during the year.

The full list of non-dailies in order of circulation increase and decrease can be seen in the first table below.

While most daily titles report every six months, as covered by HTFP last week, 11 JPIMedia and Reach plc titles now report annually and their results can be found in the second table below.

Table 1: Non-daily titles by circulation increase/decrease

Title Jan-Dec 2021 Jan-Dec 2020 Y-o-y pc change
Stornoway Gazette 2,698 2,292 18%
Hunts Post 35,345 33,284 6%
Waltham Forest News 102,773 97,832 5%
Ilford Recorder 5,614 5,489 2%
Royston Crow 9,978 9,762 2%
Stevenage Comet 20,129 19,805 2%
Saffron Walden Reporter 14,139 13,975 1%
Hitchin Comet 16,000 15,816 1%
Dunmow Broadcast 10,345 10,232 1%
Ely Standard 4,562 4,518 1%
Letchworth GC & Baldock Comet 15,742 15,593 1%
Wymondham & Attleborough Mercury 11,334 11,237 1%
Cambs Times 8,624 8,559 1%
North Somerset Times 32,794 32,608 1%
East Suffolk Extra 9,813 9,771 0%
Wisbech Standard 8,210 8,179 0%
Hackney Today 92,030 91,755 0%
Thetford & Watton Times 12,659 12,648 0%
Hackney Life 92,042 91,971 0%
Uxbridge Gazette 9,016 9,012 0%
Shrewsbury Chronicle 26,577 26,618 0%
The Herts Advertiser 28,941 29,068 0%
The Advertiser – Waveney Edition 33,789 33,963 -1%
Brent and Kilburn Times 10,310 10,429 -1%
Diss Mercury 8,239 8,411 -2%
Dereham & Fakenham Times 2,228 2,283 -2%
North Norfolk News 2,776 2,847 -2%
Docklands & East London Advertiser 4,444 4,562 -3%
Arran Banner 2,180 2,241 -3%
The Advertiser – Yarmouth Edition 32,486 33,541 -3%
Ealing Gazette 7,290 7,554 -3%
Ross-shire Journal 2,544 2,656 -4%
MEN on Sunday 5,583 5,829 -4%
Romford Recorder 9,998 10,505 -5%
Dunoon Observer 2,633 2,773 -5%
Isle of Bute News 797 840 -5%
Oban Times 6,703 7,088 -5%
Annandale Observer 3,075 3,252 -5%
Strathspey & Badenoch Herald 1,734 1,835 -6%
Champion 129,784 137,945 -6%
Goole Times (Incorporating Selby Times) 8,255 8,807 -6%
Inverness Courier (Fri) 4,835 5,163 -6%
Chichester Observer 8,602 9,219 -7%
Strathearn Herald 858 920 -7%
Northern Times 1,677 1,805 -7%
Wood and Vale 2,612 2,816 -7%
Annandale Herald and Moffat News 2,008 2,173 -8%
West Sussex County Times 4,416 4,783 -8%
West Highland Free Press 3,692 4,003 -8%
Beccles & Bungay Journal 2,228 2,416 -8%
Sussex Express 3,773 4,118 -8%
Dumfries Courier 15,242 16,696 -9%
Northampton Chronicle & Echo 5,976 6,552 -9%
The Galloway News 3,396 3,726 -9%
Lowestoft Journal 5,093 5,589 -9%
Ham and High Express 3,944 4,330 -9%
John O’Groat Journal 3,160 3,470 -9%
West Sussex Gazette 407 447 -9%
Northamptonshire Telegraph 5,794 6,405 -10%
Newham Recorder 5,809 6,432 -10%
Brentwood Recorder 1,918 2,127 -10%
Great Yarmouth Mercury 6,223 6,902 -10%
Northumberland Gazette 3,087 3,431 -10%
Manchester Weekly News 123,822 137,732 -10%
Campbeltown Courier & Argyllshire Advertiser 3,494 3,902 -10%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) 5,437 6,080 -11%
Buxton Advertiser 3,125 3,499 -11%
Forres Gazette 938 1,053 -11%
Telford Journal 25,545 28,710 -11%
Blairgowrie Advertiser 815 916 -11%
Ham & High Broadway 240 270 -11%
Mid Sussex Times 2,700 3,043 -11%
Harborough Mail 1,892 2,135 -11%
Falkirk Herald 7,996 9,028 -11%
Dewsbury Reporter 4,164 4,708 -12%
Leamington Courier 4,289 4,851 -12%
Peterborough Telegraph 5,313 6,015 -12%
Caithness Courier 1,860 2,106 -12%
Burnley Express (Fri) 2,815 3,192 -12%
Lytham St. Annes Express 1,630 1,850 -12%
Matlock Mercury 1,399 1,593 -12%
Chronicle and Informer 6,532 7,439 -12%
Hackney Gazette 1,368 1,560 -12%
Market Rasen Mail 971 1,108 -12%
Derry Journal (Fri) 3,444 3,936 -13%
Islington Gazette 4,502 5,153 -13%
Worthing Herald 6,565 7,518 -13%
Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) 1,570 1,798 -13%
Derry Journal (Tue) 2,871 3,288 -13%
Gloucester Citizen 3,918 4,502 -13%
Derbyshire Times 10,050 11,553 -13%
Bath Chronicle 4,192 4,830 -13%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Tue) 2,907 3,352 -13%
Gloucestershire Echo 4,139 4,774 -13%
Macclesfield Express 3,611 4,169 -13%
Fife Free Press 3,806 4,398 -13%
Larne Times 1,517 1,753 -13%
Milngavie & Bearsden Herald 1,118 1,292 -13%
Banbury Guardian 3,151 3,644 -14%
Sheffield Telegraph 2,625 3,038 -14%
Whitby Gazette 2,838 3,285 -14%
Lancaster Guardian 3,561 4,131 -14%
Rochdale Observer (Wed) 1,635 1,897 -14%
Welwyn Hatfield Times 2,266 2,630 -14%
Northern Scot 3,239 3,761 -14%
South Shields – Shields Gazette 2,227 2,586 -14%
Leek Post & Times 3,667 4,261 -14%
Scotland on Sunday 5,881 6,843 -14%
The Huntly Express 846 986 -14%
Wigan Observer 3,621 4,225 -14%
Daventry Express 708 828 -14%
Cornishman 3,531 4,137 -15%
Southern Reporter 4,603 5,395 -15%
Boston Standard 1,315 1,543 -15%
Doncaster Free Press 4,672 5,485 -15%
Eastbourne Herald 6,965 8,178 -15%
Horncastle News 1,136 1,334 -15%
Ashbourne News Telegraph 2,025 2,378 -15%
Wakefield Express 5,495 6,456 -15%
Hastings Observer 7,573 8,903 -15%
Stirling Observer (Wed) 3,203 3,769 -15%
Melton Times 2,225 2,622 -15%
Clitheroe Advertiser & Times 1,460 1,725 -15%
Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury 4,919 5,812 -15%
Scunthorpe Telegraph 6,262 7,406 -15%
Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) 3,535 4,181 -15%
Liverpool Sunday Echo 8,239 9,745 -15%
Plymouth – Western Morning News 8,782 10,397 -16%
Llanelli Star 3,236 3,840 -16%
Leighton Buzzard Observer 1,175 1,395 -16%
Berwickshire News 1,115 1,324 -16%
Louth Leader 1,735 2,065 -16%
Southport Visiter 1,173 1,397 -16%
Linlithgow Gazette 1,489 1,776 -16%
Halifax Courier 5,092 6,080 -16%
Bucks Herald 1,801 2,151 -16%
Rossendale Free Press 3,045 3,648 -17%
Kirkintilloch & Bishopbriggs Herald 1,349 1,618 -17%
Lanark & Carluke Gazette 1,995 2,393 -17%
Black Country Bugle 2,597 3,116 -17%
Rochdale Observer (Sat) 3,263 3,921 -17%
Inverness Courier (Tue) 2,328 2,807 -17%
Gainsborough Standard 1,102 1,329 -17%
Biggleswade Chronicle 1,251 1,509 -17%
Lincolnshire Echo 6,381 7,699 -17%
Skegness Standard 1,324 1,598 -17%
Crewe Chronicle 3,075 3,715 -17%
Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle 749 906 -17%
Hinckley Times 3,582 4,334 -17%
Brighouse Echo 802 972 -17%
Harrogate Advertiser 5,776 7,003 -18%
Luton News 2,079 2,525 -18%
Stirling Observer (Fri) 1,383 1,681 -18%
Staffordshire Newsletter 3,549 4,318 -18%
Hucknall Dispatch 1,009 1,228 -18%
Mansfield Chad 6,662 8,109 -18%
Rugby Advertiser 2,101 2,573 -18%
Scarborough News 4,373 5,360 -18%
West Briton 5,824 7,142 -18%
Exeter – Express & Echo (Thursday) 5,278 6,478 -19%
Accrington Observer 2,551 3,141 -19%
Newcastle Sunday Sun 9,465 11,666 -19%
Deeside Piper 437 539 -19%
Lennox Herald 2,561 3,164 -19%
Stockport Express 2,152 2,662 -19%
Carmarthen Journal 4,068 5,034 -19%
Morpeth Herald 525 650 -19%
Nelson Leader 1,641 2,041 -20%
Banffshire Journal 525 653 -20%
Ayrshire Post 6,907 8,593 -20%
Sleaford Standard 436 543 -20%
Wales on Sunday 4,198 5,231 -20%
East Coast and The Wolds Target 1,396 1,740 -20%
Fleetwood News 610 762 -20%
Portadown Times 1,958 2,447 -20%
The Galloway Gazette 340 425 -20%
Pontefract & Castleford Express 3,725 4,660 -20%
East Fife Mail 1,383 1,738 -20%
Worksop Guardian 1,712 2,152 -20%
Chorley Guardian 1,909 2,400 -20%
Hebden Bridge & Todmorden Times & News 846 1,067 -21%
Midlothian Advertiser 725 915 -21%
Tamworth Herald 3,740 4,723 -21%
Mearns Leader and Kincardineshire Observer 280 354 -21%
Pocklington Post 394 499 -21%
Motherwell Times & Bellshill Speaker 1,271 1,611 -21%
Mid Ulster Mail 907 1,150 -21%
Sunday Mercury 6,251 7,945 -21%
Sleaford Target 1,291 1,646 -22%
Ormskirk Advertiser 549 700 -22%
Fife Herald 2,130 2,727 -22%
Ellon Times 135 173 -22%
The Banffshire Advertiser 707 907 -22%
Loughborough Echo 3,272 4,209 -22%
Glamorgan Gazette 1,590 2,046 -22%
Aldershot News & Mail 1,314 1,691 -22%
Bridgnorth Journal 2,783 3,584 -22%
Kent and Sussex Courier 4,276 5,512 -22%
Surrey Advertiser 4,191 5,406 -22%
The Mid Devon Gazette 2,248 2,904 -23%
Western Gazette 4,303 5,575 -23%
Sidmouth Herald 2,392 3,104 -23%
Londonderry Sentinel 245 318 -23%
Boston Target 3,088 4,014 -23%
The West Lothian Courier 2,093 2,732 -23%
Chester Chronicle 2,328 3,047 -24%
Bridlington Free Press 2,188 2,865 -24%
Kilmarnock Standard 3,323 4,358 -24%
The Buchanie 352 462 -24%
Berwick Advertiser 1,281 1,683 -24%
Wishaw Press 1,836 2,419 -24%
Retford Times 1,933 2,549 -24%
North Star 533 704 -24%
Essex Chronicle 4,096 5,417 -24%
Newport Advertiser 2,310 3,057 -24%
Sevenoaks Chronicle 1,915 2,536 -24%
Birmingham Post 1,152 1,527 -25%
Torquay – Herald Express 5,134 6,815 -25%
Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser 784 1,041 -25%
North Devon Journal 4,316 5,736 -25%
The Visitor – Morecambe 1,097 1,459 -25%
North Devon Gazette 20,802 27,797 -25%
Fraserburgh Herald 208 278 -25%
Glenrothes Gazette 367 491 -25%
Cornish Guardian 3,378 4,525 -25%
Surrey Mirror 1,778 2,384 -25%
Rutherglen Reformer 879 1,187 -26%
Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer 444 603 -26%
Bedford Citizen 31,181 42,437 -27%
Heywood & Middleton Guardian 732 997 -27%
Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News 1,938 2,650 -27%
Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser 1,021 1,399 -27%
Mid Somerset Gazette 1,651 2,268 -27%
Milton Keynes Citizen 39,022 53,718 -27%
The Banffshire Herald 374 515 -27%
East Kilbride News 1,721 2,381 -28%
Chronicle Week 140,412 194,527 -28%
Croydon Advertiser 1,728 2,414 -28%
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser 1,198 1,680 -29%
Gwent Gazette 393 553 -29%
Isle of Thanet Gazette 1,080 1,527 -29%
Cynon Valley Leader 443 629 -30%
Ulster Star 442 628 -30%
Coleraine & Ballymoney Times 185 263 -30%
East Grinstead Courier 252 359 -30%
Frome Standard 584 832 -30%
Hertfordshire Mercury 2,475 3,529 -30%
Brentwood Gazette 1,047 1,493 -30%
Mid Somerset Journal 1,422 2,030 -30%
Highland News 853 1,229 -31%
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 2,154 3,105 -31%
Rhondda Leader 529 765 -31%
Folkestone Herald 1,126 1,637 -31%
Hamilton Advertiser 2,778 4,059 -32%
Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle 1,131 1,663 -32%
South Shropshire Journal 2,814 4,160 -32%
Dover Express 757 1,125 -33%
Merthyr Express 660 983 -33%
Lurgan Mail 623 928 -33%
Holyhead and Bangor Mail 472 704 -33%
Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald 600 905 -34%
Garstang Courier 738 1,126 -34%
North Wales Weekly News 1,073 1,639 -35%
Barking & Dagenham Post 882 1,353 -35%
West Suffolk Mercury 10,789 16,956 -36%
Somerset Guardian 586 935 -37%
Exmouth Journal 11,830 19,490 -39%
Nuneaton News 1,572 3,053 -49%
Hemel Hempstead Gazette 1,394 3,834 -64%
Crawley Observer 1,032 3,104 -67%
News Post Leader 445 34,900 -99%

 

Table 2: Daily titles which report annually in order of circulation decrease.

Title Jan-Dec 2021 Jan-Dec 2020 Y-o-y pc change
Sunderland Echo 5,662 6,402 -12%
Daily Post (North Wales) 12,478 14,250 -12%
Burton Mail 3,385 3,940 -14%
Grimsby Telegraph 7,753 9,086 -15%
Western Mail 7,177 8,419 -15%
Edinburgh Evening News 8,977 10,618 -15%
Blackpool Gazette 3,396 4,043 -16%
Hartlepool Mail 1,570 1,870 -16%
Huddersfield Daily Examiner 5,500 6,552 -16%
Western Daily Press 7,647 9,248 -17%
The Journal (Newcastle) 4,896 6,015 -19%