View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
August 25, 2010

Regional ABCs: Improving picture for UK dailies

By Dominic Ponsford

Only one of the UK’s 86 regional daily newspapers grew sales year-on-year in the first half of 2010 – the DC Thomson-owned Dundee Evening Telegraph.

That paper managed to grow its sale by 0.4 per cent year on year to 23,269, according to figures released today by ABC.

But while all the other titles were down, the figures released today by the ABC reveal that the pace of decline has slowed since the depths of the recession a year ago, when no titles grew.

At the Trinity Mirror-owned Liverpool Echo for example, the picture has improved from a 10.14 per cent drop a year ago to a 3.2 per cent drop this time around. The Echo’s 89,140 average daily circulation is actually a period-on-period increase of 0.7 per cent.

The improvement may be down to a decision to bring out an early morning edition of the Echo as well as a lunchtime one, thus increasing the amount of time on the newsagents’ shelf.

Across the board the picture was one of gradual improvement in the rate of decline.

The UK’s biggest regional newspaper, the Wolverhampton-based Express and Star, fell 5.2 per cent year on year to an average circulation of 122,161 compared with a year on year drop of 6.7 per cent a year ago.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The Birmingham Mail fell 9.1 per cent in the first half of this year to 51,353 compared with a drop of 14.6 per cent a year ago.

The top performers included the Guernsey Press and Star, down just two per cent to 15,274, and the Dorset Echo, down 2.1 per cent to 18,121.

The Belfast Telegraph dropped just 1 per cent to 67,353 – but it is only 82.1 per cent paid-for.

The Manchester Evening News recorded a sale of 96,719, some 67.8 per cent of which was paid-for.

Following are three lists for UK regional dailies ranked by: circulation, year on year circulation change and alphabetically

Figures are average sale for the first half of 2010 and percentage change year on year

Regional daily newspapers ranked by total circulation:

Express & Star (West Midlands) (Series) ; 122,161 ; -5.2%

Manchester Evening News (Series) ; 96,719 ; N/A

Liverpool Echo ; 89,140 ; -3.2%

Aberdeen – Press & Journal (Series) ; 74,457 ; -3.3%

Belfast Telegraph ; 67,353 ; -1.0%

Dundee Courier & Advertiser (Series) ; 65,012 ; -4.4%

Shropshire Star (Series) ; 60,887 ; -8.4%

Norwich – Eastern Daily Press ; 59,139 ; -2.4%

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Evening Chronicle ; 57,089 ; -10.6%

Glasgow – Evening Times ; 56,843 ; -10.9%

Leicester Mercury ; 55,992 ; -9.9%

The Sentinel ; 53,228 ; -6.0%

Birmingham Mail ; 51,353 ; -9.1%

Aberdeen – Evening Express (Series) ; 50,630 ; -2.3%

Hull Daily Mail ; 47,422 ; -6.7%

Irish News – Morning ; 45,531 ; -2.7%

Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail (Series) ; 45,175 ; -6.3%

Darlington – The Northern Echo ; 44,062 ; -5.7%

Edinburgh – Evening News ; 43,046 ; -6.9%

Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post ; 42,772 ; -7.0%

South Wales Evening Post ; 42,619 ; -7.5%

Nottingham Post ; 42,529 ; -11.3%

Teesside – Evening Gazette ; 42,246 ; -7.4%

Leeds – Yorkshire Post ; 41,896 ; -6.3%

Bristol Evening Post ; 41,506 ; -5.7%

Sheffield Star & Green ‘Un ; 40,901 ; -9.6%

Coventry Telegraph ; 37,326 ; -9.3%

Cardiff – South Wales Echo – Evening ; 35,389 ; -10.1%

Sunderland Echo & Football Echo ; 35,204 ; -7.8%

Derby Evening Telegraph ; 35,075 ; -7.4%

Southampton – Southern Daily Echo (Series) ; 34,550 ; -4.3%

Plymouth – Western Morning News ; 33,579 ; -8.9%

Daily Post (Wales) ; 32,414 ; -4.5%

Bristol – Western Daily Press (Series) ; 31,809 ; -11.8%

Plymouth – The Herald ; 31,803 ; -5.4%

Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo ; 31,721 ; -6.3%

Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times ; 30,332 ; -3.7%

Wales – The Western Mail – Morning (Series) ; 29,567 ; -10.2%

Bradford – Telegraph & Argus ; 28,839 ; -9.8%

Grimsby Telegraph ; 28,777 ; -7.7%

Bournemouth – The Daily Echo ; 28,579 ; -3.7%

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal ; 28,232 ; -11.3%

York – The Press ; 27,272 ; -11.2%

Lancashire Evening Post ; 26,505 ; -3.4%

The Argus Brighton ; 26,364 ; -9.1%

Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn (Series) ; 25,416 ; -7.5%

South Wales Argus – Evening ; 24,679 ; -7.5%

Ulster – News Letter ; 24,346 ; -3.6%

The Gazette – Blackpool ; 24,236 ; -6.9%

The Bolton News ; 24,159 ; -7.3%

Dundee Evening Telegraph 23,269 0.4%

Cambridge Evening News ; 21,997 ; -11.9%

Torquay – Herald Express (Series) ; 21,600 ; -6.9%

Huddersfield Daily Examiner ; 21,544 ; -4.7%

The Citizen ; 21,410 ; -5.2%

Oxford Mail ; 20,593 ; -9.8%

Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph – Kettering ; 19,607 ; -9.3%

Swindon Advertiser ; 19,251 ; -6.8%

Jersey Evening Post ; 19,135 ; -4.6%

Lincolnshire Echo ; 18,559 ; -5.9%

Norwich – Eastern Evening News ; 18,532 ; -6.9%

The Leader (Wrexham, Flintshire & Chester) 18,443 -5.1%

Dorset Echo ; 18,121 ; -2.1%

Colchester – Evening Gazette ; 18,084 ; -8.0%

Exeter – Express & Echo ; 17,742 ; -7.3%

Northampton Chronicle & Echo ; 17,483 ; -7.8%

Scunthorpe Telegraph ; 17,253 ; -5.7%

Halifax – Evening Courier ; 17,188 ; -8.6%

Gloucestershire Echo ; 17,155 ; -5.2%

Oldham Evening Chronicle ; 16,044 ; -11.2%

Peterborough Evening Telegraph ; 15,800 ; -4.4%

South Shields – Shields Gazette ; 15,727 ; -8.1%

Barrow – North West Evening Mail ; 15,436 ; -7.8%

Ipswich – Evening Star ; 15,413 ; -8.7%

Guernsey Press & Star ; 15,274 ; -2.0%

Greenock Telegraph ; 15,186 ; -4.9%

Worcester News ; 15,141 ; -5.2%

Hartlepool Mail ; 15,084 ; -7.8%

Carlisle – News and Star East ; 13,738 ; -7.0%

Burton Mail ; 12,624 ; -4.5%

Scarborough Evening News ; 11,359 ; -5.8%

Liverpool Daily Post ; 8,389 ; -28.0%

Paisley Daily Express ; 7,963 ; -9.1%

Wigan Evening Post ; 7,567 ; -2.2%

Carlisle – News and Star West ; 5,493 ; -6.1%

Doncaster Star ; 2,708 ; -17.0%

Regional daily newspapers ranked by year on year circulation performance

Dundee Evening Telegraph ; 23,269 0.4%

Belfast Telegraph ; 67,353 ; -1.0%

Guernsey Press & Star ; 15,274 ; -2.0%

Dorset Echo ; 18,121 ; -2.1%

Wigan Evening Post ; 7,567 ; -2.2%

Aberdeen – Evening Express (Series) ; 50,630 ; -2.3%

Norwich – Eastern Daily Press ; 59,139 ; -2.4%

Irish News – Morning ; 45,531 ; -2.7%

Liverpool Echo ; 89,140 ; -3.2%

Aberdeen – Press & Journal (Series) ; 74,457 ; -3.3%

Lancashire Evening Post ; 26,505 ; -3.4%

Ulster – News Letter ; 24,346 ; -3.6%

Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times ; 30,332 ; -3.7%

Bournemouth – The Daily Echo ; 28,579 ; -3.7%

Southampton – Southern Daily Echo (Series) ; 34,550 ; -4.3%

Dundee Courier & Advertiser (Series) ; 65,012 ; -4.4%

Peterborough Evening Telegraph ; 15,800 ; -4.4%

Daily Post (Wales) ; 32,414 ; -4.5%

Burton Mail ; 12,624 ; -4.5%

Jersey Evening Post ; 19,135 ; -4.6%

Huddersfield Daily Examiner ; 21,544 ; -4.7%

Greenock Telegraph ; 15,186 ; -4.9%

The Leader (Wrexham, Flintshire & Chester) 18,443 -5.1%

Express & Star (West Midlands) (Series) ; 122,161 ; -5.2%

The Citizen ; 21,410 ; -5.2%

Gloucestershire Echo ; 17,155 ; -5.2%

Worcester News ; 15,141 ; -5.2%

Plymouth – The Herald ; 31,803 ; -5.4%

Darlington – The Northern Echo ; 44,062 ; -5.7%

Bristol Evening Post ; 41,506 ; -5.7%

Scunthorpe Telegraph ; 17,253 ; -5.7%

Scarborough Evening News ; 11,359 ; -5.8%

Lincolnshire Echo ; 18,559 ; -5.9%

The Sentinel ; 53,228 ; -6.0%

Carlisle – News and Star West ; 5,493 ; -6.1%

Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail (Series) ; 45,175 ; -6.3%

Leeds – Yorkshire Post ; 41,896 ; -6.3%

Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo ; 31,721 ; -6.3%

Hull Daily Mail ; 47,422 ; -6.7%

Swindon Advertiser ; 19,251 ; -6.8%

Edinburgh – Evening News ; 43,046 ; -6.9%

The Gazette – Blackpool ; 24,236 ; -6.9%

Torquay – Herald Express (Series) ; 21,600 ; -6.9%

Norwich – Eastern Evening News ; 18,532 ; -6.9%

Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post ; 42,772 ; -7.0%

Carlisle – News and Star East ; 13,738 ; -7.0%

The Bolton News ; 24,159 ; -7.3%

Exeter – Express & Echo ; 17,742 ; -7.3%

Teesside – Evening Gazette ; 42,246 ; -7.4%

Derby Evening Telegraph ; 35,075 ; -7.4%

South Wales Evening Post ; 42,619 ; -7.5%

Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn (Series) ; 25,416 ; -7.5%

South Wales Argus – Evening ; 24,679 ; -7.5%

Grimsby Telegraph ; 28,777 ; -7.7%

Sunderland Echo & Football Echo ; 35,204 ; -7.8%

Northampton Chronicle & Echo ; 17,483 ; -7.8%

Barrow – North West Evening Mail ; 15,436 ; -7.8%

Hartlepool Mail ; 15,084 ; -7.8%

Colchester – Evening Gazette ; 18,084 ; -8.0%

South Shields – Shields Gazette ; 15,727 ; -8.1%

Shropshire Star (Series) ; 60,887 ; -8.4%

Halifax – Evening Courier ; 17,188 ; -8.6%

Ipswich – Evening Star ; 15,413 ; -8.7%

Plymouth – Western Morning News ; 33,579 ; -8.9%

Birmingham Mail ; 51,353 ; -9.1%

The Argus Brighton ; 26,364 ; -9.1%

Paisley Daily Express ; 7,963 ; -9.1%

Coventry Telegraph ; 37,326 ; -9.3%

Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph – Kettering ; 19,607 ; -9.3%

Sheffield Star & Green ‘Un ; 40,901 ; -9.6%

Bradford – Telegraph & Argus ; 28,839 ; -9.8%

Oxford Mail ; 20,593 ; -9.8%

Leicester Mercury ; 55,992 ; -9.9%

Cardiff – South Wales Echo – Evening ; 35,389 ; -10.1%

Wales – The Western Mail – Morning (Series) ; 29,567 ; -10.2%

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Evening Chronicle ; 57,089 ; -10.6%

Glasgow – Evening Times ; 56,843 ; -10.9%

York – The Press ; 27,272 ; -11.2%

Oldham Evening Chronicle ; 16,044 ; -11.2%

Nottingham Post ; 42,529 ; -11.3%

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal ; 28,232 ; -11.3%

Bristol – Western Daily Press (Series) ; 31,809 ; -11.8%

Cambridge Evening News ; 21,997 ; -11.9%

Doncaster Star ; 2,708 ; -17.0%

Liverpool Daily Post ; 8,389 ; -28.0%

Regional daily newspaper titles listed alphabetically:

Aberdeen – Evening Express (Series) ; 50,630 ; -2.3%

Aberdeen – Press & Journal (Series) ; 74,457 ; -3.3%

Barrow – North West Evening Mail ; 15,436 ; -7.8%

Belfast Telegraph ; 67,353 ; -1.0%

Birmingham Mail ; 51,353 ; -9.1%

Bournemouth – The Daily Echo ; 28,579 ; -3.7%

Bradford – Telegraph & Argus ; 28,839 ; -9.8%

Bristol – Western Daily Press (Series) ; 31,809 ; -11.8%

Bristol Evening Post ; 41,506 ; -5.7%

Burton Mail ; 12,624 ; -4.5%

Cambridge Evening News ; 21,997 ; -11.9%

Cardiff – South Wales Echo – Evening ; 35,389 ; -10.1%

Carlisle – News and Star East ; 13,738 ; -7.0%

Carlisle – News and Star West ; 5,493 ; -6.1%

Colchester – Evening Gazette ; 18,084 ; -8.0%

Coventry Telegraph ; 37,326 ; -9.3%

Daily Post (Wales) ; 32,414 ; -4.5%

Darlington – The Northern Echo ; 44,062 ; -5.7%

Derby Evening Telegraph ; 35,075 ; -7.4%

Doncaster Star ; 2,708 ; -17.0%

Dorset Echo ; 18,121 ; -2.1%

Dundee Courier & Advertiser (Series) ; 65,012 ; -4.4%

Dundee Evening Telegraph 23,269 0.4%

Edinburgh – Evening News ; 43,046 ; -6.9%

Exeter – Express & Echo ; 17,742 ; -7.3%

Express & Star (West Midlands) (Series) ; 122,161 ; -5.2%

Glasgow – Evening Times ; 56,843 ; -10.9%

Gloucestershire Echo ; 17,155 ; -5.2%

Greenock Telegraph ; 15,186 ; -4.9%

Grimsby Telegraph ; 28,777 ; -7.7%

Guernsey Press & Star ; 15,274 ; -2.0%

Halifax – Evening Courier ; 17,188 ; -8.6%

Hartlepool Mail ; 15,084 ; -7.8%

Huddersfield Daily Examiner ; 21,544 ; -4.7%

Hull Daily Mail ; 47,422 ; -6.7%

Ipswich – East Anglian Daily Times ; 30,332 ; -3.7%

Ipswich – Evening Star ; 15,413 ; -8.7%

Irish News – Morning ; 45,531 ; -2.7%

Jersey Evening Post ; 19,135 ; -4.6%

Lancashire Evening Post ; 26,505 ; -3.4%

Lancashire Telegraph – Blackburn (Series) ; 25,416 ; -7.5%

Leeds – Yorkshire Evening Post ; 42,772 ; -7.0%

Leeds – Yorkshire Post ; 41,896 ; -6.3%

Leicester Mercury ; 55,992 ; -9.9%

Lincolnshire Echo ; 18,559 ; -5.9%

Liverpool Daily Post ; 8,389 ; -28.0%

Liverpool Echo ; 89,140 ; -3.2%

Manchester Evening News (Series) ; 96,719 ; N/A

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Evening Chronicle ; 57,089 ; -10.6%

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal ; 28,232 ; -11.3%

Northampton Chronicle & Echo ; 17,483 ; -7.8%

Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph – Kettering ; 19,607 ; -9.3%

Norwich – Eastern Daily Press ; 59,139 ; -2.4%

Norwich – Eastern Evening News ; 18,532 ; -6.9%

Nottingham Post ; 42,529 ; -11.3%

Oldham Evening Chronicle ; 16,044 ; -11.2%

Oxford Mail ; 20,593 ; -9.8%

Paisley Daily Express ; 7,963 ; -9.1%

Peterborough Evening Telegraph ; 15,800 ; -4.4%

Plymouth – The Herald ; 31,803 ; -5.4%

Plymouth – Western Morning News ; 33,579 ; -8.9%

Portsmouth – News & Sports Mail (Series) ; 45,175 ; -6.3%

Scarborough Evening News ; 11,359 ; -5.8%

Scunthorpe Telegraph ; 17,253 ; -5.7%

Sheffield Star & Green ‘Un ; 40,901 ; -9.6%

Shropshire Star (Series) ; 60,887 ; -8.4%

South Shields – Shields Gazette ; 15,727 ; -8.1%

South Wales Argus – Evening ; 24,679 ; -7.5%

South Wales Evening Post ; 42,619 ; -7.5%

Southampton – Southern Daily Echo (Series) ; 34,550 ; -4.3%

Southend – Basildon – Castle Point – Echo ; 31,721 ; -6.3%

Sunderland Echo & Football Echo ; 35,204 ; -7.8%

Swindon Advertiser ; 19,251 ; -6.8%

Teesside – Evening Gazette ; 42,246 ; -7.4%

The Argus Brighton ; 26,364 ; -9.1%

The Bolton News ; 24,159 ; -7.3%

The Citizen ; 21,410 ; -5.2%

The Gazette – Blackpool ; 24,236 ; -6.9%

The Leader (Wrexham, Flintshire & Chester) 18,443 -5.1%

The Sentinel ; 53,228 ; -6.0%

Torquay – Herald Express (Series) ; 21,600 ; -6.9%

Ulster – News Letter ; 24,346 ; -3.6%

Wales – The Western Mail – Morning (Series) ; 29,567 ; -10.2%

Wigan Evening Post ; 7,567 ; -2.2%

Worcester News ; 15,141 ; -5.2%

York – The Press ; 27,272 ; -11.2%

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network