The Somerset County Gazette has produced its biggest issue in the paper’s 168-year history. The 160-page edition included a record Homelife property supplement, which ran at 64 pages. It also contained a 16-page Nativity plays special, featuring more than 90
Ken Bird
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Local coverage goes national as media latches onto Gazette
The Somerset County Gazette’s coverage of the war in Iraq from a local viewpoint has attracted national attention. First, chief reporter Phil Hill was interviewed on the Radio Five Live Drive Time show by Hasit Shah. Then editor-in-chief Ken Bird
It ain't half hot mum!Newsrooms react to war
The regional press is capitalising on the time difference between Iraq and the UK – and to round-the-clock conflict – by bringing up-to-date news from the Gulf that the nationals can’t carry. Many are carrying up to 15 pages of
Newspaper makeover follows circulation boost
The paid-for Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News – produced by Newsquest (Somerset) – has been given a complete makeover. The new-look publication is now out every Thursday – a day earlier than previously. Readers saw their first of the new
Appeal given big boost
The Yeovil Express Fund A Scanner Today Appeal has been given a big boost from the Ilchester Cheese Company which has donated £2,000. The appeal total now stands at £6,176 — more than a quarter of the way towards the
Appeal given big boost
The Yeovil Express Fund A Scanner Today Appeal has been given a big boost from the Ilchester Cheese Company which has donated £2,000. The appeal total now stands at £6,176 — more than a quarter of the way towards the
Memorial projects funded by Mercury appeal
A range of projects will get underway in Bridgwater in memory of three blaze victims thanks to the Bridgwater Mercury’s Lily’s Fund appeal. A children’s play area, youth centre music facilities, benches, and a memorial fishing cup will all now
Dawn goes OTT in Taunton
As an editorial assistant with the Somerset County Gazette, Dawn Case often goes beyond the call of duty – but now she’s gone way over the top. With other volunteers she abseiled from the top of Taunton’s Debenhams store to
Readers' views are sought
Readers of Taunton-based Newsquest titles are being surveyed on a number of topical issues. The Bridgwater Mercury is asking readers to vote on whether a 40ft willow sculpture alongside the M5 motorway – recently destroyed by arsonists – should be
Hague chooses the Gazette
William Hague chose the Somerset County Gazette for his first exclusive interview of the 2001 general election. The Conservative leader met chief reporter Phil Hill during a visit to Taunton and told him that the constituency was ‘very winnable’. Mr
New season, new lookfor the Mercury
The Bridgwater Mercury has been given a new look for spring. The paper has launched the improvements under the slogan Get the message the Mercury is now offering more pages, more local news, more leisure and sport – and, from
Commitment gets results
Staff at the Somerset County Gazette are celebrating an increase in sales. Latest figures issued by the Audit Bureau of Circulation show the paper sold an average 30,524 copies per week in the period of January to June – an
'What I miss now is not knowing what is happening until I read it in the paper'
by HoldTheFrontPage staff When Lloyd Jefferies started work as an apprentice reporter with the Wellington Weekly News way back in 1938, little did he realise that he would end up as the paper’s editor. In this article, reproduced from the
Pheasant-throttling
A weekly column reproduced from the Bristol Evening Post Page 1 of 2 Why all the fuss about The Queen strangling a pheasant? What else was she supposed to do with it? Rush it round to Rolf Harris and his
Gazette beats ban on identifying gang leader
The Somerset County Gazette has successfully fought off an attempt to ban it identifying a 17-year-old gang leader given an anti-social behaviour order. The victory for press freedom was a case of third time lucky for the Taunton-based Newsquest title.
Pharmacy fight wins support
A Somerset weekly newspaper is backing a campaign to reinstate an out-of-hours pharmacy service. Almost 750 names have been collected on Somerset County Gazette petitions in support of Wellington Town Council’s campaign to keep the out-of-hours pharmacy service in the