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February 24, 2016

Regional ABCs, weeklies: Reading Chronicle is one of five UK local weekly newspapers growing in print

By Dominic Ponsford

The 296 local weekly newspapers audited by ABC across the UK lost sales by an average 9.2 per cent year on year in the second half of 2015.

Only five titles grew their sales year on year.

The Reading Chronicle was the fastest growing, up 41.4 per cent year on year to 7,818 a week. It benefitted from Trinity Mirror's decision at the end of 2014 to close rival title the Reading Post.

Title Publisher Circulation period on period % change Year on year % change % paid for
Sunday Life Independent News & Media (NI) 40,057 -1.3 -5.2 98.5
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun Trinity Mirror plc 27,030 -7.4 100
Isle of Wight County Press Isle of Wight County Press Ltd. 26,817 -2.2 -5.6 100
Kent Messenger Kent Messenger Ltd 26,597 -9.6 100
Barnsley Chronicle The Barnsley Chronicle Ltd 25,997 -6.2 100
Sunday Herald Newsquest Media Group 25,006 -13.8 -22.4 100
Scotland on Sunday Johnston Press plc 22,060 -8.6 -19.9 100
Hereford Times Newsquest Media Group 21,425 -6.9 100
West Briton Local World 21,414 -13.9 100
Rotherham & South Yorkshire Advertiser Regional Media Limited 20,934 -2.5 -7.6 98.7
Westmorland Gazette Newsquest Media Group 20,047 -5 97.6
Cumberland News CN Group 19,869 -7 100
Sunday Mercury Trinity Mirror plc 19,568 -14 97.5
Liverpool Sunday Echo Trinity Mirror plc 19,363 -7.3 95.9
Torquay – Herald Express Local World 19,340 -10.2 100
Surrey Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 19,151 5 100
Essex Chronicle Local World 18,918 -10.7 98.3
Kent and Sussex Courier Local World 18,693 -9.9 98.9
North Devon Journal Local World 18,534 -9 100
Western Gazette Local World 17,533 -11.1 99.3
Darlington & Stockton Times Newsquest Media Group 17,345 -7.5 100
Cornish Guardian Local World 16,963 -11.6 100
New Milton Advertiser and Lymington Times Advertiser and Times Ltd 16,361 -4.1 -6.9 100
Scunthorpe Telegraph Local World 16,117 -7.2 99.8
Lincolnshire Echo Local World 15,855 -15.1 99.8
Ayrshire Post Trinity Mirror plc 15,839 -6.9 100
Warrington Guardian Newsquest Media Group 15,342 -10.3 100
Salisbury Journal Newsquest Media Group 15,144 -6.4 100
Goole Times (Incorporating Selby Times) Chronicle Publications Ltd 14,582 -3.1 100
Maidenhead Advertiser Baylis & Co Ltd 14,506 -11 73.8
Wales on Sunday Trinity Mirror plc 14,314 -3.2 100
Tamworth Herald Local World 14,057 -8.1 100
Somerset County Gazette Newsquest Media Group 13,983 -14.7 100
Cumberland & Westmorland Herald Cumberland & Westmorland Herald News 13,826 -3.4 -5.9 99.9
Newbury Weekly News Newbury Weekly News (Printers) Ltd 13,810 -7.8 100
Gazette & Herald Newsquest Media Group 13,396 -8.8 100
Exeter – Express & Echo (Thursday) Local World 13,270 -11.6 100
Bucks Free Press Newsquest Media Group 12,982 -9.3 84.3
Hertfordshire Mercury Local World 12,746 -7.4 100
Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury Archant Ltd 12,587 -5.5 96.6
Western Telegraph Newsquest Media Group 12,315 -10.8 100
Great Yarmouth Mercury Archant Ltd 12,114 100
Hexham Courant CN Group 11,855 -5.6 100
Clacton Gazette Newsquest Media Group 11,782 -3.6 100
Cornishman Local World 11,745 -9.7 100
Essex County Standard Newsquest Media Group 11,659 -7.4 100
Oban Times Oban Times Ltd 11,608 -8 100
Impartial Reporter Newsquest Media Group 11,449 -5.6 100
The Watford Observer Newsquest Media Group 11,346 -7.1 91.7
Bath Chronicle Local World 11,273 -14.2 93.9
Dunfermline Press & West of Fife Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 11,230 -9.4 99.9
Carmarthen Journal Local World 11,225 -10.1 100
West Cumberland Times & Star CN Group 11,036 -9.6 100
Hamilton Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 11,010 -12.3 100
Loughborough Echo Trinity Mirror plc 10,988 -14.5 100
Lowestoft Journal Archant Ltd 10,898 100
Fermanagh Herald The North-West of Ireland Printing & Publishing Co Ltd 10,829 -6.7 100
Romford Recorder Archant Ltd 10,769 90.5
Brentwood Gazette Local World 10,469 -8.1 68.7
Bury Times Newsquest Media Group 10,426 -8.4 99.2
Northern Scot Scottish Provincial Press 10,393 -13.4 100
Rochdale Observer (Sat) Trinity Mirror plc 10,300 -12 100
East Lothian Courier Newsquest Media Group 10,265 -6.3 100
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) Trinity Mirror plc 10,152 -7.1 100
Craven Herald & Pioneer Newsquest Media Group 10,053 -7.1 100
Kentish Express Kent Messenger Ltd 9,883 -11.6 100
Guardian (Northwich, Winsford & Middlewich) Newsquest Media Group 9,876 -6.5 100
Malvern Gazette Newsquest Media Group 9,788 -7.1 100
Chester Chronicle Trinity Mirror plc 9,788 -18.9 100
Inverness Courier (Fri) Scottish Provincial Press 9,780 -8 100
Kilmarnock Standard (Ayrshire Weekly News and Irvine Valley News) Trinity Mirror plc 9,627 -10 100
Staffordshire Newsletter Local World 9,626 98.8
Whitehaven News CN Group 9,411 -10.1 100
The Oxford Times Newsquest Media Group 9,324 -8.8 100
Hinckley Times Trinity Mirror plc 9,244 -9.4 100
Leek Post & Times Local World 9,210 -5.6 100
Llanelli Star Local World 9,172 -7.8 100
Isle of Thanet Gazette Local World 9,088 -9 100
Basingstoke Gazette Newsquest Media Group 9,018 -12.2 100
Henley and South Oxfordshire Standard Higgs & Co (Printers) Ltd 9,014 -2.7 95.8
Surrey Mirror Local World 8,975 -4.2 100
Crewe Chronicle Trinity Mirror plc 8,975 -13.2 100
Gloucestershire Gazette Newsquest Media Group 8,931 -8.2 100
Black Country Bugle Local World 8,724 100
East Kent Mercury Kent Messenger Ltd 8,688 -7.2 100
Hampshire Chronicle Newsquest Media Group 8,670 -6.6 100
Wiltshire Times Newsquest Media Group 8,605 -9.9 100
Boston Target Local World 8,456 100
Braintree & Witham Times Newsquest Media Group 8,351 -5.2 100
Andover Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 8,311 -8.2 100
Herts & Essex Observer Local World 8,254 -13.7 100
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 8,189 -13.3 100
Keighley News Newsquest Media Group 8,169 -9.4 100
Yorkshire – Gazette & Herald Newsquest Media Group 8,097 -5.4 100
Stroud News & Journal Newsquest Media Group 8,048 -6.4 100
Bridgwater Mercury Newsquest Media Group 8,031 -10 100
Kentish Gazette Kent Messenger Ltd 7,991 -12.6 100
Welwyn Hatfield Times Archant Ltd 7,987 100
Croydon Advertiser Local World 7,851 -74.1 100
Macclesfield Express Trinity Mirror plc 7,839 -11 100
Reading Chronicle Newsquest Media Group 7,818 41.4 84.8
North Wales Weekly News Trinity Mirror plc 7,815 -18 100
The Orcadian The Orcadian Ltd 7,735 -1.6 -5.7 100
The Mid Devon Gazette Local World 7,662 -7 100
Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) Trinity Mirror plc 7,626 -10.5 100
Sevenoaks Chronicle Local World 7,533 -8.8 100
Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Newsquest Media Group 7,519 -9.9 100
The Herald Newsquest Media Group 7,509 -9.6 100
Wilts & Glos Standard Newsquest Media Group 7,439 -8.3 100
Stockport Express Trinity Mirror plc 7,420 -11.2 100
The West Lothian Courier Trinity Mirror plc 7,367 -13.5 100
Glamorgan Gazette Trinity Mirror plc 7,267 -20.1 100
Rossendale Free Press Trinity Mirror plc 7,206 -8.9 100
Inverness Courier (Tue) Scottish Provincial Press 6,952 -7.6 100
Accrington Observer Trinity Mirror plc 6,873 -9.5 100
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser Local World 6,828 -10.6 100
Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News Trinity Mirror plc 6,720 -14.4 100
Birmingham Post Trinity Mirror plc 6,677 -16 56.1
Mid Somerset Gazette Local World 6,644 -9.1 100
Aldershot News & Mail Trinity Mirror plc 6,604 -12 100
Mid Somerset Journal Local World 6,580 -9.3 100
Exmouth Journal Archant Ltd 6,547 -7.5 90.5
West Highland Free Press West Highland Publishing Company Ltd 6,496 -4.9 -9.2 100
Bridport News Newsquest Media Group 6,491 -8.1 100
Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald Trinity Mirror plc 6,456 -19.5 100
Lennox Herald Trinity Mirror plc 6,382 -10.6 100
Retford Times Local World 6,135 -7.3 100
Bucks Advertiser & Examiner Trinity Mirror plc 6,084 -16 100
Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press 6,005 -6.3 100
Maldon & Burnham Standard Newsquest Media Group 5,988 0 100
Rochdale Observer (Wed) Trinity Mirror plc 5,938 -16 100
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Wed) Trinity Mirror plc 5,906 -7.4 100
Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 5,846 -9.9 100
South Shropshire Journal The Midland News Association 5,846 -4.5 -10.9 100
Exeter – Express & Echo (Monday) Local World 5,803 100
East Kilbride News Trinity Mirror plc 5,748 -15 100
John O'Groat Journal Scottish Provincial Press 5,738 -5.9 100
Sidmouth Herald Archant Ltd 5,685 -0.8 94.4
Falmouth & Helston Packet Newsquest Media Group 5,659 22.9 100
The Galloway News Trinity Mirror plc 5,637 -7.1 100
Bridgnorth Journal The Midland News Association 5,543 -1.8 -9 100
Campbeltown Courier & Argyllshire Advertiser Oban Times Ltd 5,537 -5.6 100
Stirling Observer (Wed) Trinity Mirror plc 5,492 -5.9 100
Romsey Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 5,484 -11.2 100
Sheerness Times Guardian Kent Messenger Ltd 5,478 -8.4 100
North Norfolk News Archant Ltd 5,416 100
Dover Express Local World 5,388 100
Southport Visiter Trinity Mirror plc 5,383 -20.8 100
Ross-shire Journal Scottish Provincial Press 5,372 -10.8 100
Witney Gazette Newsquest Media Group 5,280 -11.2 100
Newport Advertiser The Midland News Association 5,280 -6.5 -12.3 100
Tivy-Side Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 5,250 -8.1 100
Harwich & Manningtree Standard Newsquest Media Group 5,162 -4.2 100
Merthyr Express Trinity Mirror plc 5,159 -22 100
Barking & Dagenham Post Archant Ltd 5,157 85.5
Holyhead and Bangor Mail Trinity Mirror plc 5,081 -21.1 100
Wishaw Press Trinity Mirror plc 5,014 -4 100
Dereham & Fakenham Times Archant Ltd 4,999 100
Somerset Guardian Local World 4,997 -10.8 100
Highland News Scottish Provincial Press 4,919 -10.1 100
Medway Messenger (Monday) Kent Messenger Ltd 4,886 -13.4 100
East Lindsey Target Local World 4,855 100
Annandale Observer Dumfriesshire Newspapers Group 4,798 -4.8 100
Sittingbourne News Extra Kent Messenger Ltd 4,633 -6.7 100
Clydebank Post Newsquest Media Group 4,630 -19.8 99.4
Slough Eton & Windsor Observer Newsquest Media Group 4,558 -12.9 78.6
South Wales Guardian Newsquest Media Group 4,532 -6.1 100
Epping Forest Guardian Newsquest Media Group 4,518 -10.3 76
Ashbourne News Telegraph Local World 4,472 100
Cumnock Chronicle Newsquest Media Group 4,446 -10 100
Frome Standard Local World 4,395 -11 100
Derry News – Monday River Newspaper Holdings Ltd 4,388 -9.9 100
Beccles & Bungay Journal Archant Ltd 4,381 100
Caithness Courier Scottish Provincial Press 4,363 -6.2 100
Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle Trinity Mirror plc 4,339 -14.9 100
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger Kent Messenger Ltd 4,274 -7.2 100
County Derry Post River Newspaper Holdings Ltd 4,198 -4 100
East Grinstead Courier Local World 4,167 100
Derry News – Thursday River Newspaper Holdings Ltd 4,165 -11.7 100
Chard & Ilminster News Newsquest Media Group 4,129 -8.5 100
Ilford Recorder Archant Ltd 4,099 81.5
Free Press Monmouthshire & Pontypool Newsquest Media Group 4,061 -9.3 100
Helensburgh Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 4,056 -9.1 100
Central Fife Times & Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 3,773 -11 100
Penarth Times Newsquest Media Group 3,740 -9.5 100
Largs & Millport Weekly News Newsquest Media Group 3,739 -7.3 100
Halstead Gazette Newsquest Media Group 3,692 -3.6 100
Waltham Forest Guardian Newsquest Media Group 3,678 -14.8 96.5
Paisley & Renfrewshire Gazette Newsquest Media Group 3,677 -14.3 97.8
Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) Trinity Mirror plc 3,632 -11.6 100
Knutsford Guardian Newsquest Media Group 3,603 -4.3 100
Barry & District News Newsquest Media Group 3,600 -8.4 100
Peeblesshire News Newsquest Media Group 3,595 -9.7 100
Bracknell News Newsquest Media Group 3,565 27.1 81.7
Strathspey & Badenoch Herald Scottish Provincial Press 3,547 -6.3 100
Sleaford Target Local World 3,516 100
Ilkley Gazette Newsquest Media Group 3,515 -7.9 100
Rhondda Leader Trinity Mirror plc 3,485 -19.7 100
Annandale Herald and Moffat News Dumfriesshire Newspapers Group 3,312 -3.4 100
Ludlow Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 3,288 -8.2 100
Banffshire Journal Scottish Provincial Press 3,229 -11.7 100
Northern Times Scottish Provincial Press 3,157 -7.4 100
Middleton & North Manchester Guardian Trinity Mirror plc 3,149 -13.8 100
Bicester Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 3,091 -6 100
Ormskirk Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 3,091 -20.9 100
Uttoxeter Advertiser Local World 3,069 36.8 100
Border Telegraph Newsquest Media Group 3,067 -8.6 100
Arran Banner Oban Times Ltd 2,897 -2.2 100
Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer Newsquest Media Group 2,856 -5.3 100
Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer Trinity Mirror plc 2,836 -19.2 100
North Star Scottish Provincial Press 2,627 -12 100
Cynon Valley Leader Trinity Mirror plc 2,619 -19.4 100
Ayr Advertiser Newsquest Media Group 2,589 -9.3 100
Heywood Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 2,501 -18.5 100
The Banffshire Advertiser Scottish Provincial Press 2,476 100
Stirling Observer (Fri) Trinity Mirror plc 2,393 -4.5 100
Rutherglen Reformer Trinity Mirror plc 2,340 -7.5 100
Irvine Times Newsquest Media Group 2,323 -7.4 100
Gwent Gazette Trinity Mirror plc 2,311 -19.8 100
Forres Gazette Scottish Provincial Press 2,290 -11.5 100
Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News Newsquest Media Group 2,277 -6.1 100
Grantham Target Local World 2,150 100
Hackney Gazette Archant Ltd 2,148 92.7
The Huntly Express Scottish Provincial Press 2,113 100
Lochaber News Scottish Provincial Press 2,101 -11.3 100
Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter Newsquest Media Group 2,101 -13.5 100
Faversham News Kent Messenger Ltd 2,045 -4.8 100
Herne Bay Gazette Kent Messenger Ltd 1,957 -4.1 100
Milford & West Wales Mercury Newsquest Media Group 1,940 -14.4 100
Folkestone & Hythe Express Kent Messenger Ltd 1,673 -12.8 100
Ellesmere Port Pioneer Trinity Mirror plc 1,611 -28.2 100
The Banffshire Herald Scottish Provincial Press 1,540 100
Prestwich and Whitefield Guide Newsquest Media Group 1,499 -7.1 100
Blairgowrie Advertiser Trinity Mirror plc 1,460 -8.1 100
Strathearn Herald Trinity Mirror plc 1,454 -4.4 100
Ham & High Broadway Archant Ltd 719 99

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