Independent local newspaper the South London Press has abruptly closed down after 160 years in print and is believed to be entering into insolvency proceedings.
Press Gazette understands that staff were told on Tuesday to stop working and that their contracts had been terminated.
The South London Press website at londonnewsdaily.co.uk was inaccessible on Tuesday. It had six staff on its contact page including four journalists (two news, two sports).
The closure means that the final weekly print edition was on Friday (also the last day its X, formerly Twitter, feed was updated). Previously, the South London Press was published in print on Tuesdays and Fridays but the second edition was dropped in April 2018.
The title was most recently sold to London-based leaflet distribution firm Street Runners in the summer of 2017 and it was trading under MSI Media.
The sale had saved the title when it went into administration about 18 months after a management buyout. Its owner before that was Tindle Newspapers, which had owned it since 2007, and previously it had been under Trinity Mirror.
The South London Press was founded in 1865 by James Henderson, who also started other newspapers and magazines including the Evening Mercury, and first sold in 1907.
The latest iteration of the South London Press also included the Greenwich Mercury, which merged with it in 2019.
The brand then had a tough time during the Covid-19 pandemic when it furloughed half of its staff of 12 people and appealed for donations towards its running costs.
The news of the closure was first shared online by sports editor Richard Cawley who has worked for the paper for 18 years. He wrote on X: “Really sad news. South London Press is no more.”
Cawley added: “Superb patch to cover for sport. Huge amount of fun. Can’t say [I] didn’t expect this day to come though.”
According to Press Gazette research conducted last year, South London Press was the only remaining professional journalism outlet providing more than weekly coverage of council meetings in three London boroughs (a measure chosen to show localness): Bexley, Bromley and Lewisham. [Update 8/5/25: these three boroughs and their council meetings are also covered by Newsquest’s News Shopper.]
The title also covered news from Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Merton, Southwark, Wandsworth and the City of Westminster. It had also combined with the London Weekly News in 2019, further expanding its coverage area.
Darryl Chamberlain, the editor of nearby “one-man band” The Greenwich Wire, told Press Gazette at the time: “When the South London Press does original reporting, it is high quality.”
But he said the title appeared stretched in terms of the large patch it covered and relied heavily on BBC-funded local democracy reporters.
Freelance football journalist Alex Grace said: “I’m sad to say that my time covering Millwall and other London clubs for the time being has come to an end following the closure of the South London Press. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside some great people.”
The closure came days after two major sports stories from the South London Press patch: Crystal Palace FC won the FA Cup – its first major trophy – while Charlton Athletic FC won promotion to the Championship after five years away.
The Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust said: “Sad to hear news of South London Press closing. They’ve championed football this side of the river for a long time. Local impartial journalism is crucial to supporters. A sad loss for the South…”
In 2000, the South London Press sold more than 60,000 copies per week across its two weekly editions.
According to Press Gazette research, nearly 300 UK local newspapers have closed since 2005.
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