Tindle Newspapers has launched a new paid-for weekly newspaper in Pembroke, Wales, two weeks after the launch of the Chingford Times in Greater London.
The Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Observer lies on edge of the circulation area of Tindle’s existing weekly the Tenby Observer and is being launched using existing editorial resources, although with greater use of some freelances.
It launched on Friday with an initial distribution of 1,500. According to general manager Andrew Adamson this sold out in some newsagents so the print-run is set to increase to 2,000.
Adamson told Press Gazette that the new launch had been reader-led, in the sense that Pembroke-based community groups were increasingly sending their news for publication in the Tenby Observer, which lies about ten miles away from Pembroke.
Adamson said: ‘We are delighted that we are now able to offer the people of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock a new outlet for their news, and that we can provide a new way for businesses of the two towns to reach local potential customers. During these tough economic times, it is ever more important for local people to be informed about local issues, and we are happy to be part of a service which provides that.
‘It isn’t a totally new area for the Tenby Observer group; the area was first covered by the Tenby and Pembroke Dock Observer as long ago as the 19th century. More recently we have received increasing community news from the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock towns, and feel we can give these communities a new voice.
‘The inspiration to launch new local newspapers came from our proprietor, Sir Ray Tindle, who we would like to thank for his support and blessing in bringing this publication to fruition.”
After launching the Chingford Times, Tindle Newspapers has said that it believes it has found the winning formula for a viable ‘hyper-local’newspaper. The Chingford paper was said to be profitable from issue one.
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