View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
April 13, 2011

Regional dailies to hand out millions in Government cash

By Andrew Pugh

Two of the biggest regional newspapers in the UK are set to receive millions to distribute in grants to local businesses as part of the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Among the 50 successful bidders for the £1.4bn fund announced yesterday were Trinity Mirror-owned Liverpool Echo and Northcliffe title, the Western Morning News. Both are still going through a due diligence process with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DfBIS), but are on course to get the go ahead by June.

Both schemes will see the papers launch competitions inviting small and medium-sized business – particularly those hit hard by the economic downturn – to apply for grants. They will be run over an 18-month period and each paper will be empowered to allocate between £10,000 and £100,000 from the RGF to distribute to the winners.

Press Gazette understands that each title will have at least £1m worth of grants to allocate.

The Western Morning News’ bid was the brainchild of editor-in-chief Alan Qualtrough, and will be run in partnership with its sister title the Western Daily Press and a team from Plymouth University. Qualtrough, who believes the project could create up to 50 jobs in the region, said the winners will be decided by a panel of local business figures.

The Liverpool Echo’s competition will be run along similar lines, and to reduce the cost of running the competition both papers will share administrative work.

According to DfBIS – staff at the titles will also provide “mentoring, consultancy and business support” for the winning bidders.

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

Qualtrough said that neither the Western Morning News nor the Western Daily Press would directly profit from the scheme. But the publishers will be paid to cover their administrative costs.

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