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ABCs: Council-run newsletters among top performers

Two council-run newsletters – including one published in contravention of government guidelines – are among the non-daily titles to have made circulation gains according to the latest ABC figures.

Almost 400 local and regional newspapers that do not publish daily were audited for 2022, with local authority publications Love Hackney and Waltham Forest News among them.

Both titles recorded circulation increases of 9pc over the course of the year, putting them among the top performers for circulation growth in the figures.

ABC’s certificates show Hackney Council’s Love Hackney, formerly known as Hackney Today, was published seven times last year, despite government guidance stating no local authority should publish a newsletter more than quarterly.

Love Hackney

Waltham Forest Council’s Waltham Forest News did adhere to the guidance this year after its appearance in the ABC figures for 2021 sparked controversy.

At the time, Social Spider, publisher of the independent Waltham Forest Echo, criticised ABC for continuing to audit a council newsletter published in breach of government guidelines.

Other titles to record circulation gains in 2022 included the Newsquest’s former Archant weeklies Stevenage Comet and Hampstead & Highgate Express, which comes after their figures were merged with other titles in the same group.

In the case of the Stevenage Comet, circulation figures for the Hitchin Comet and Letchworth Comet now also appear on its certificate, while figures for the Wood & Vale are now also audited together with the Ham & High.

ABC certificates for more than 150 titles run by Bullivant Media, Iliffe Media, Newsquest and Tindle Newspapers were also issued for the first time in a number of years.

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

Title Jan-Dec 2022 Jan-Dec 2021 YoY pc change
Stevenage Comet 37,233 20,129 85%
Ham & High Express 6,433 3,944 63%
Love Hackney 100,756 92,030 9%
Waltham Forest News 112,290 102,773 9%
Newham Recorder 6,025 5,809 4%
Romford Recorder 10,047 9,998 0%
Uxbridge Gazette 9,015 9,016 0%
Chronicle and Informer 6,531 6,532 0%
Ealing Gazette 7,268 7,290 0%
Ely Standard 4,525 4,562 -1%
Arran Banner 2,162 2,180 -1%
Hackney Gazette 1,347 1,368 -2%
Brent and Kilburn Times 10,121 10,310 -2%
Islington Gazette 4,419 4,502 -2%
Barking & Dagenham Post 862 882 -2%
Stornoway Gazette 2,605 2,698 -3%
Royston Crow 9,628 9,978 -4%
Shrewsbury Chronicle 25,521 26,577 -4%
Campbeltown Courier & Argyllshire Advertiser 3,323 3,494 -5%
Docklands & East London Advertiser 4,213 4,444 -5%
Strathearn Herald 810 858 -6%
Dunmow Broadcast 9,717 10,345 -6%
Lowestoft Journal 4,779 5,093 -6%
West Highland Free Press 3,462 3,692 -6%
Annandale Herald and Moffat News 1,875 2,008 -7%
Abergavenny Chronicle 2,243 2,404 -7%
Isle of Bute News 742 797 -7%
Great Yarmouth Mercury 5,774 6,223 -7%
Beccles & Bungay Journal 2,057 2,228 -8%
Dunoon Observer 2,413 2,633 -8%
Telford Journal 23,186 25,545 -9%
Oban Times 6,120 6,703 -9%
Blairgowrie Advertiser 743 815 -9%
Ashbourne News Telegraph 1,841 2,025 -9%
Buxton Advertiser 2,834 3,125 -9%
Derbyshire Times 9,082 10,050 -10%
Matlock Mercury 1,263 1,399 -10%
Birmingham Post 1,029 1,152 -11%
North Norfolk News 2,479 2,776 -11%
Dereham & Fakenham Times 1,989 2,228 -11%
Sidmouth Herald 2,132 2,392 -11%
Annandale Observer 2,738 3,075 -11%
Crawley Observer 918 1,032 -11%
Dumfries Courier 13,520 15,242 -11%
Sussex Express 3,341 3,773 -11%
Gwent Gazette 347 393 -12%
Worthing Herald 5,794 6,565 -12%
Goole Times (Incorporating Selby Times) 7,283 8,255 -12%
Larne Times 1,336 1,517 -12%
Falkirk Herald 7,039 7,996 -12%
Chichester Observer 7,565 8,602 -12%
Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser 688 784 -12%
Welwyn Hatfield Times 1,986 2,266 -12%
Gloucestershire Echo 3,620 4,139 -13%
Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury 4,297 4,919 -13%
Fife Free Press 3,322 3,806 -13%
The Galloway News 2,962 3,396 -13%
Black Country Bugle 2,261 2,597 -13%
Berwickshire News 966 1,115 -13%
Scarborough News 3,783 4,373 -13%
Peterborough Telegraph 4,593 5,313 -14%
Berwick Advertiser 1,101 1,281 -14%
Bath Chronicle 3,600 4,192 -14%
Lancaster Guardian 3,056 3,561 -14%
Morpeth Herald 450 525 -14%
Northamptonshire Telegraph 4,965 5,794 -14%
Hucknall Dispatch 862 1,009 -15%
Derry Journal (Fri) 2,938 3,444 -15%
Southern Reporter 3,916 4,603 -15%
West Sussex Gazette 346 407 -15%
Harborough Mail 1,608 1,892 -15%
Leamington Courier 3,638 4,289 -15%
Nuneaton News 1,333 1,572 -15%
Mid Sussex Times 2,289 2,700 -15%
Pocklington Post 334 394 -15%
Gloucester Citizen 3,318 3,918 -15%
Northumberland Gazette 2,613 3,087 -15%
Halifax Courier 4,307 5,092 -15%
Harrogate Advertiser 4,874 5,776 -16%
Melton Times 1,876 2,225 -16%
West Sussex County Times 3,723 4,416 -16%
Stockport Express 1,814 2,152 -16%
Biggleswade Chronicle 1,054 1,251 -16%
Wakefield Express 4,624 5,495 -16%
Market Rasen Mail 817 971 -16%
Hastings Observer 6,364 7,573 -16%
Sleaford Target 1,083 1,291 -16%
Macclesfield Express 3,029 3,611 -16%
Whitby Gazette 2,377 2,838 -16%
Eastbourne Herald 5,832 6,965 -16%
Scotland on Sunday 4,921 5,881 -16%
Northampton Chronicle & Echo 4,997 5,976 -16%
Banbury Guardian 2,634 3,151 -16%
Cornishman 2,951 3,531 -16%
Southport Visiter 980 1,173 -16%
Sheffield Telegraph 2,190 2,625 -17%
Doncaster Free Press 3,896 4,672 -17%
Rugby Advertiser 1,751 2,101 -17%
Leighton Buzzard Observer 978 1,175 -17%
Staffordshire Newsletter 2,949 3,549 -17%
Exeter – Express & Echo (Thursday) 4,384 5,278 -17%
Stirling Observer (Fri) 1,148 1,383 -17%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Tue) 2,413 2,907 -17%
Mansfield Chad 5,526 6,662 -17%
Hinckley Times 2,965 3,582 -17%
Bridgnorth Journal 2,302 2,783 -17%
Boston Standard 1,087 1,315 -17%
Leek Post & Times 3,030 3,667 -17%
Wigan Observer 2,987 3,621 -18%
Surrey Advertiser 3,456 4,191 -18%
Sleaford Standard 359 436 -18%
Lincolnshire Echo 5,253 6,381 -18%
Exmouth Journal 9,737 11,830 -18%
Loughborough Echo 2,693 3,272 -18%
West Briton 4,792 5,824 -18%
Milngavie & Bearsden Herald 919 1,118 -18%
Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) 2,905 3,535 -18%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) 4,467 5,437 -18%
Lytham St. Annes Express 1,335 1,630 -18%
Mid Somerset Gazette 1,352 1,651 -18%
Lanark & Carluke Gazette 1,633 1,995 -18%
Western Gazette 3,518 4,303 -18%
Torquay – Herald Express 4,194 5,134 -18%
Stirling Observer (Wed) 2,616 3,203 -18%
Hemel Hempstead Gazette 1,138 1,394 -18%
The Mid Devon Gazette 1,835 2,248 -18%
Dewsbury Reporter 3,396 4,164 -18%
Milton Keynes Citizen 31,821 39,022 -18%
Newcastle Sunday Sun 7,682 9,465 -19%
Brighouse Echo 653 802 -19%
Crewe Chronicle 2,503 3,075 -19%
South Shropshire Journal 2,289 2,814 -19%
Linlithgow Gazette 1,211 1,489 -19%
Llanelli Star 2,630 3,236 -19%
Cornish Guardian 2,745 3,378 -19%
East Coast and The Wolds Target 1,131 1,396 -19%
Merthyr Express 534 660 -19%
Scunthorpe Telegraph 5,062 6,262 -19%
Isle of Thanet Gazette 873 1,080 -19%
Mid Somerset Journal 1,146 1,422 -19%
Luton News 1,674 2,079 -19%
Kirkintilloch & Bishopbriggs Herald 1,086 1,349 -19%
Rossendale Free Press 2,451 3,045 -20%
Worksop Guardian 1,378 1,712 -20%
North Devon Journal 3,464 4,316 -20%
Horncastle News 910 1,136 -20%
Newport Advertiser 1,850 2,310 -20%
Aldershot News & Mail 1,052 1,314 -20%
Carmarthen Journal 3,250 4,068 -20%
Fife Herald 1,699 2,130 -20%
Tamworth Herald 2,982 3,740 -20%
Clitheroe Advertiser & Times 1,163 1,460 -20%
Accrington Observer 2,030 2,551 -20%
Hebden Bridge & Todmorden Times & News 673 846 -20%
Rhondda Leader 420 529 -21%
Boston Target 2,450 3,088 -21%
Fraserburgh Herald 165 208 -21%
Chester Chronicle 1,845 2,328 -21%
Ormskirk Advertiser 435 549 -21%
Derry Journal (Tue) 2,271 2,871 -21%
Sevenoaks Chronicle 1,513 1,915 -21%
Lennox Herald 2,018 2,561 -21%
Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News 1,525 1,938 -21%
Burnley Express (Fri) 2,211 2,815 -21%
Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) 1,233 1,570 -21%
Midlothian Advertiser 569 725 -22%
Ayrshire Post 5,414 6,907 -22%
Sunday Mercury 4,899 6,251 -22%
Louth Leader 1,359 1,735 -22%
Gainsborough Standard 862 1,102 -22%
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser 937 1,198 -22%
Pontefract & Castleford Express 2,913 3,725 -22%
Liverpool Sunday Echo 6,437 8,239 -22%
MEN on Sunday 4,360 5,583 -22%
Glamorgan Gazette 1,240 1,590 -22%
Bridlington Free Press 1,705 2,188 -22%
Deeside Piper 339 437 -22%
Croydon Advertiser 1,338 1,728 -23%
Daventry Express 547 708 -23%
Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer 343 444 -23%
Rochdale Observer (Wed) 1,259 1,635 -23%
Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser 786 1,021 -23%
Kent and Sussex Courier 3,291 4,276 -23%
Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle 870 1,131 -23%
Essex Chronicle 3,148 4,096 -23%
Folkestone Herald 864 1,126 -23%
East Grinstead Courier 193 252 -23%
Bucks Herald 1,377 1,801 -24%
East Fife Mail 1,057 1,383 -24%
Hertfordshire Mercury 1,891 2,475 -24%
Ilford Recorder 4,287 5,614 -24%
Somerset Guardian 447 586 -24%
The West Lothian Courier 1,589 2,093 -24%
Cynon Valley Leader 336 443 -24%
Ellon Times 102 135 -24%
Rochdale Observer (Sat) 2,460 3,263 -25%
Kilmarnock Standard 2,503 3,323 -25%
Chorley Guardian 1,437 1,909 -25%
Dover Express 569 757 -25%
Brentwood Gazette 783 1,047 -25%
Portadown Times 1,461 1,958 -25%
Bedford Citizen 23,253 31,181 -25%
The Visitor – Morecambe 816 1,097 -26%
Mid Ulster Mail 673 907 -26%
North Somerset Times 24,317 32,794 -26%
Wishaw Press 1,354 1,836 -26%
Motherwell Times & Bellshill Speaker 936 1,271 -26%
Hamilton Advertiser 2,044 2,778 -26%
Holyhead and Bangor Mail 347 472 -26%
News Post Leader 327 445 -27%
Wales on Sunday 3,081 4,198 -27%
Nelson Leader 1,202 1,641 -27%
Surrey Mirror 1,298 1,778 -27%
Coleraine & Ballymoney Times 135 185 -27%
Heywood & Middleton Guardian 533 732 -27%
Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle 540 749 -28%
Skegness Standard 953 1,324 -28%
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 1,549 2,154 -28%
East Kilbride News 1,236 1,721 -28%
Fleetwood News 438 610 -28%
Rutherglen Reformer 631 879 -28%
Lurgan Mail 446 623 -28%
Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald 429 600 -29%
Retford Times 1,381 1,933 -29%
Ulster Star 315 442 -29%
Frome Standard 414 584 -29%
The Buchanie 248 352 -30%
Garstang Courier 509 738 -31%
Mearns Leader & Kincardineshire Observer 193 280 -31%
Saffron Walden Reporter 9,672 14,139 -32%
North Wales Weekly News 726 1,073 -32%
Chronicle Week 93,645 140,412 -33%
Glenrothes Gazette 237 367 -35%
Londonderry Sentinel 155 245 -37%
Hunts Post 21,791 35,345 -38%
The Herts Advertiser 17,500 28,941 -40%
Alloa & Foothills Advertiser 2,433 N/A N/A
Andover Adveritser 3,887 N/A N/A
Angus County Press 727 N/A N/A
Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald 2,910 N/A N/A
Ayr Advertiser 696 N/A N/A
Barnet Borough Times 16,097 N/A N/A
Barry & District News 1,583 N/A N/A
Basingstoke Gazette 4,159 N/A N/A
Oswestry & Border Counties Advertiser 2,850 N/A N/A
Border Telegraph 1,460 N/A N/A
Bourne Local 403 N/A N/A
Bracknell News 1,325 N/A N/A
Braintree & Witham Times 2,848 N/A N/A
Brecon & Radnor Express 3,360 N/A N/A
Bridgwater Series 3,867 N/A N/A
Bridport & Lyme News 3,690 N/A N/A
Bromley News Shopper 20,312 N/A N/A
Bromsgrove & Droitwich Standard 6,842 N/A N/A
Bromsgrove/Drotiwich Spa Advertiser 8,892 N/A N/A
Bucks Free Press 7,592 N/A N/A
Bury Free Press 5,513 N/A N/A
Bury Times 4,143 N/A N/A
Cambrian News 6,877 N/A N/A
Central Fife Times & Advertiser 1,632 N/A N/A
Cahrd & Ilminster News 1,720 N/A N/A
Clacton Gazette 4,737 N/A N/A
Clydebank Post 1,491 N/A N/A
Cornish & Devon Post 2,919 N/A N/A
Cornish Times 3,062 N/A N/A
Powys County Times 6,715 N/A N/A
Coventry Observer 6,538 N/A N/A
Crediton Courier 1,378 N/A N/A
Cumberland News 8,123 N/A N/A
Cumnock Chronicle 1,543 N/A N/A
Darlington & Stockton Times 9,259 N/A N/A
Dartmouth Chronicle 802 N/A N/A
Dawlish Gazette 580 N/A N/A
Denbighshire Free Press 1,595 N/A N/A
Diss Express 1,347 N/A N/A
Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 559 N/A N/A
Dunfermline Press 5,859 N/A N/A
Durham Advertiser 1,986 N/A N/A
East Kent Mercury 2,825 N/A N/A
East Lothian Courier 6,798 N/A N/A
Enfield Independent 15,846 N/A N/A
Essex County Standard 5,174 N/A N/A
Fenland Citizen 9,299 N/A N/A
Folkestone & Hythe Express 1,053 N/A N/A
Montmouthshire Free Presss 1,808 N/A N/A
Wiltshire Gazette & Herald 4,960 N/A N/A
Grantham Journal 3,763 N/A N/A
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger Series 1,484 N/A N/A
Northwich Guardian 4,065 N/A N/A
Halesowen & Dudley News 10,923 N/A N/A
Halstead Gazette 1,449 N/A N/A
Hampshire Chronicle 4,920 N/A N/A
Harrow Times 16,046 N/A N/A
Harwich & Manningtree Standard 2,455 N/A N/A
Haverhill Echo 832 N/A N/A
Helensburh Advertiser 1,828 N/A N/A
Glasgow Herald on Sunday 6,679 N/A N/A
Hereford Times 10,222 N/A N/A
Hexham Courant 5,797 N/A N/A
Ilkley Gazette 1,445 N/A N/A
Impartial Reporter 6,775 N/A N/A
Isle of Wight County Press 11,575 N/A N/A
Ivybridge & Kingsbridge Gazettes 2,676 N/A N/A
Keighley News 2,972 N/A N/A
Kent Messenger 8,390 N/A N/A
Kentish Gazette 6,173 N/A N/A
Kentish Express 3,209 N/A N/A
Knutsford/Wilmslow Guardian 2,076 N/A N/A
Largs & Millport Weekly News 1,968 N/A N/A
Leamington Obserber 4,842 N/A N/A
Leigh Journal 7,840 N/A N/A
Lincolnshire Free Press 2,207 N/A N/A
Ludlow & Tenbury Advertiser 1,532 N/A N/A
Lynn News (Friday) 4,037 N/A N/A
Lynn News (Tuesday) 1,563 N/A N/A
Maldon & Burnham Standard 2,339 N/A N/A
Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter 3,742 N/A N/A
Mid Devon Advertiser 3,390 N/A N/A
Midweek Herald 15,988 N/A N/A
Montmouthshire Beacon 2,119 N/A N/A
New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times 9,102 N/A N/A
Newark Advertiser 4,660 N/A N/A
Newmarket Journal 2,690 N/A N/A
North Wales Pioneer 2,714 N/A N/A
Falmouth Packet 3,084 N/A N/A
Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette 1,457 N/A N/A
Peeblesshire News 1,875 N/A N/A
Penarth Times 1,462 N/A N/A
Petersfield Post 1,571 N/A N/A
Reading Chronicle 4,038 N/A N/A
Redditch Advertiser 8,850 N/A N/A
Redditch Standard 8,296 N/A N/A
Rhyl Journal 4,797 N/A N/A
Richmond & Twickenham Times 11,795 N/A N/A
Romsey Advertiser 2,658 N/A N/A
Ross Gazette 1,582 N/A N/A
Rugby & Lutterworth Observer 2,863 N/A N/A
Rutland & Stamford Mercury 4,570 N/A N/A
Rutland Times 665 N/A N/A
Salisbury Journal 7,155 N/A N/A
Sheerness Times Guardian 1,881 N/A N/A
Sittingbourne News 1,961 N/A N/A
Slough, Eton & Windsor Observer 1,356 N/A N/A
South Wales Guardian 1,838 N/A N/A
Spalding Guardian 1,592 N/A N/A
St Helens Star 14,516 N/A N/A
Stourbridge News 11,140 N/A N/A
Stratford Observer 3,124 N/A N/A
Stratford Herald 5,836 N/A N/A
Stroud News & Journal 3,798 N/A N/A
Suffolk Free Press 1,997 N/A N/A
Surrey Comet 17,383 N/A N/A
Sutton & Croydon Guardian 22,120 N/A N/A
Swanage Advertiser 5,184 N/A N/A
Tavistock Times 4,052 N/A N/A
Teignmouth Post 802 N/A N/A
Tenby Observer 2,012 N/A N/A
Thanet Extra 12,783 N/A N/A
Evesham Journal 7,692 N/A N/A
The Forester 2,809 N/A N/A
Oxfordshire Herald 2,929 N/A N/A
The Messenger 16,975 N/A N/A
Oxford Times 3,782 N/A N/A
Kidderminster Shuttle 10,152 N/A N/A
Chester Standard 9,169 N/A N/A
Sunday National 4,195 N/A N/A
Watford Observer 4,807 N/A N/A
Whitehaven News 3,418 N/A N/A
Thurrock Gazette 18,558 N/A N/A
Workington Times & Star 4,145 N/A N/A
Tivy-side Advertiser 2,625 N/A N/A
Totnes Times 757 N/A N/A
Warrington Guardian 7,514 N/A N/A
Wellington Weekly News 1,601 N/A N/A
West Somerset Free Press 3,642 N/A N/A
Western Telegraph 5,067 N/A N/A
Westmorland Gazette 8,611 N/A N/A
Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer 1,296 N/A N/A
Wigan Post 902 N/A N/A
Whitchurch Herald 1,594 N/A N/A
Wilts & Glos Standard 2,725 N/A N/A
Wiltshire Times 3,106 N/A N/A
Wimbledon & Wandsworth times 13,164 N/A N/A
Wirral Globe 25,973 N/A N/A
Witney Gazette 2,206 N/A N/A
Berrow’s Worcester Journal 6,804 N/A N/A
Worcester Observer 3,577 N/A N/A
Ryedale Gazette & Herald 4,039 N/A N/A
Epping Forest Guardian 4,214 N/A N/A