Just 15 of the UK’s 360 paid-for weekly newspapers increased circulation in the first six months of the year.
The sector’s biggest faller was Johnston Press‘ Deeside Piper, which recorded a fall in circulation of 30.1 per cent year on year to an average of 5,758 during the first half of the year.
It was closely followed by Archant’s Islington Gazette which recorded a fall in circulation of 29.8 per cent year on year to an average circulation 6,797.
The UK’s largest regional weekly, the Sunday Life, recorded a circulation drop of 1.3 per cent year on year to an average of 65,872 during the first six months of the year.
Related
The Sunday Life newspaper is the sister title of the Belfast Telegraph.
Trinity Mirror‘s Sunday Mercury recorded a circulation drop of 12.4 per cent year on year to an average circulation of 50,363.
Johnston Press’ Ellon Times and Inverurie Herald Series was the weekly paper with the largest rise in circulation. It was up 75.8 per cent year on year, albeit to a circulation average of just 3,559 in the first half of this year.
Regional Weeklies – total circulation (circulation change y-on-y)
Sunday Life 65,872 -1.3%
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun 57,866 -9.5%
Sunday Mercury 50,363 -12.4%
Kent Messenger (Series) 44,492 -10.7%
Mansfield Chad (Series) 40,816 -8.6%
Barnsley Chronicle 40,534 -6.8%
Isle of Wight County Press 37,032 -1.4%
Hereford Times 36,710 -6.6%
Derbyshire Times 36,489 -7.9%
West Briton (Series) 36,096 -8.3%
Wales on Sunday 34,696 -18.9%
Chichester Observer 33,085 -5.2%
Rotherham & South Yorkshire Advertiser 31,961 -6.7%
Western Gazette (Series) 31,393 -10.8%
Warrington Guardian 31,364 -11.0%
Wakefield Express 30,375 -7.6%
Cumberland News 30,361 -10.0%
Essex Chronicle 30,238 -11.5%
Cornish Guardian (Series) 30,055 -7.2%
Doncaster Free Press 29,701 -11.7%
North Devon Journal (Series) 28,664 -6.8%
Kent and Sussex Courier 28,532 -8.2%
Surrey Advertiser 27,529 -5.0%
Westmorland Gazette 27,467 -8.2%
Lynn News (Fri) 26,026 -7.3%
Falkirk Herald 25,685 -7.2%
Bury Free Press (Series) 24,868 -6.3%
Darlington & Stockton Times 24,859 -8.7%
Ayrshire Post 24,695 -6.4%
Wiltshire Gazette & Herald (Series) 24,395 -5.1%
Hertfordshire Mercury 23,688 -11.2%
Eastbourne Herald 23,250 -3.8%
Tamworth Herald 23,238 -7.9%
Romford Recorder 22,736 -8.9%
Western Telegraph 22,705 -8.5%
Pontefract & Castleford Express 22,053 -6.3%
Chester Chronicle (Series) 21,864 -11.3%
Hamilton Advertiser (Series) 21,627 -6.5%
Bucks Free Press 21,389 -10.5%
Shrewsbury Chronicle (Series) 21,377 45.1%
Newbury Weekly News 20,929 -7.3%
Maidenhead Advertiser 20,814 -9.3%
West Sussex County Times 20,748 -3.2%
Bury Times (Series) 20,547 -11.2%
Oxford Times 20,537 -8.1%
Rochdale Observer (Sat) 20,390 -7.8%
Glamorgan Gazette (Series) 19,423 -10.6%
Carmarthen Journal 19,204 -7.2%
Derry Journal (Fri) 19,181 -6.9%
The Watford Observer 18,884 -6.9%
Hastings & St Leonards Observer 18,779 -4.5%
Grantham Journal 18,766 -8.2%
Kentish Express (Series) 18,664 -12.4%
Loughborough Echo 18,628 -8.1%
Rutland & Stamford Mercury 18,568 -7.5%
Bath Chronicle 18,415 -9.2%
Reading Post 18,393 N/A
Dunfermline Press & West of Fife Advertiser 18,096 -12.2%
Cumberland & Westmorland Herald 17,784 -3.1%
The Sheffield Telegraph 17,763 -16.6%
Lynn News (Tue) 17,735 -9.1%
Essex County Standard 17,441 -12.1%
Worthing Herald 17,427 -3.8%
Great Yarmouth Mercury 17,343 -4.2%
Croydon Advertiser 17,274 -10.9%
Derry Journal (Tue) 17,031 -7.1%
Wiltshire Times 16,954 -7.9%
Hexham Courant 16,890 -5.8%
Lincolnshire Free Press 16,885 -4.3%
Southern Reporter 16,751 -6.4%
Lowestoft Journal 16,561 -8.4%
Kilmarnock Standard (Ayrshire Weekly News and Irvine Valley News) 16,422 -3.5%
Cornishman 16,333 -7.0%
Burnley Express (Fri) 16,239 -5.8%
West Cumberland Times & Star 16,065 -5.8%
Whitehaven News 15,845 -6.6%
Worksop Guardian (Series) 15,828 -9.9%
Weston & Somerset Mercury 15,817 4.4%
County Times and Express 15,782 -5.3%
Craven Herald & Pioneer 15,738 -6.9%
The West Lothian Courier 15,565 -7.9%
Merthyr Express (Series) 15,542 -9.2%
Crewe Chronicle (Series) 15,508 -11.5%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Fri) 15,461 -5.5%
Malvern Gazette 15,394 -6.6%
Wigan Observer 15,300 -8.8%
Bucks Herald 15,186 -12.3%
Perthshire Advertiser (Fri) 15,140 -7.0%
North Wales Weekly News (Series) 15,124 -8.4%
Clacton Gazette 15,123 -5.1%
Welwyn & Hatfield Times 15,082 -9.2%
Lancaster Guardian 14,952 -7.9%
Banbury Guardian 14,895 -12.0%
Macclesfield Express 14,878 -8.4%
Fife Free Press 14,857 -12.7%
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 14,788 -7.7%
Kentish Gazette (Series) 14,571 -12.8%
Llanelli Star 14,387 -10.4%
Herts & Essex Observer 14,295 -5.9%
Accrington Observer 14,242 -2.7%
Bridlington Free Press 14,189 -5.0%
Spalding Guardian 14,146 -3.5%
Hinckley Times 14,135 -9.2%
Stockport Express 14,074 -4.9%
Nelson Leader (Series) 14,018 -7.6%
Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette (Series) 14,016 -5.4%
Rochdale Observer (Wed) 13,932 -9.5%
Harrogate Advertiser 13,913 -10.9%
Rossendale Free Press 13,708 -3.8%
East Lothian Courier 13,653 -3.5%
Stroud News & Journal 13,644 -16.6%
Newry Reporter 13,588 -3.8%
Impartial Reporter 13,577 -4.4%
Brentwood Gazette 13,549 -5.9%
Gloucestershire County Gazette 13,514 -10.9%
Southport Visiter 13,460 -10.1%
Sussex Express & County Herald 13,299 -8.0%
Northwich Guardian 13,177 -9.0%
Fermanagh Herald 13,169 -1.4%
Keighley News 13,143 -8.4%
Herald (Series) 12,932 -4.1%
Surrey Herald & Staines News (Series) 12,919 -7.9%
Isle of Thanet Gazette 12,848 -7.3%
Aldershot News 12,831 -11.8%
Chorley Guardian 12,802 -7.4%
Motherwell Times & Bellshill Speaker 12,763 -4.0%
Bucks Advertiser & Examiner (Series) 12,623 -7.2%
Ulster Herald 12,596 0.1%
Caernarfon & Denbigh Herald (Series) 12,545 -6.7%
Wilts & Glos Standard 12,540 -11.8%
Folkestone Herald 12,537 -1.9%
Leamington Spa Courier (Series) 12,419 -7.1%
The Visitor 12,376 -3.2%
Fife Herald News & St. Andrews Citizen 12,353 -4.5%
Yorkshire – Gazette & Herald 12,321 -3.6%
Braintree & Witham Times 12,298 -9.6%
Isle of Man Examiner 12,057 -4.4%
Surrey Mirror 11,993 -3.4%
Ilford, Barking & Dagenham Recorder 11,989 -19.5%
Medway Messenger (Monday) 11,958 -3.3%
Mid Sussex Times 11,907 -4.1%
East Kent Mercury (Series) 11,900 -9.8%
Buxton Advertiser 11,751 -7.5%
Melton Times 11,729 -7.0%
East Kent Gazette 11,672 4.4%
Hemel Hempstead Gazette 11,606 -14.5%
Ads for Free 11,592 4.4%
The Mid Devon Gazette 11,483 -4.3%
Stornoway Gazette and West Coast Advertiser 11,470 -6.0%
Lanark & Carluke Gazette 11,362 -6.6%
East Kilbride News 11,268 -9.1%
Harborough Mail 11,174 -7.2%
Mourne Observer 11,142 -2.9%
Shetland Times 11,118 -0.8%
Sevenoaks Chronicle 11,030 -6.1%
Manx Independent 11,002 -8.1%
Rhondda Leader 10,998 -12.0%
Dewsbury Reporter 10,901 -5.7%
Down Recorder 10,884 -6.0%
Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News (Series) 10,882 -10.2%
Dover Express 10,857 19.0%
Kirkintilloch Herald 10,829 -5.3%
Burnley Express (Tue) 10,752 -5.4%
East Fife Mail 10,621 -2.3%
Lennox Herald 10,611 -9.7%
Whitby Gazette 10,564 -9.3%
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser 10,498 -7.5%
Barking & Dagenham Post 10,482 -15.2%
Leek Post & Times 10,436 -7.3%
Ealing & Acton Gazette (Series) 10,270 -10.7%
Waltham Forest Guardian 10,218 -15.0%
Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle 10,214 -10.8%
The Forester 10,028 -6.4%
Retford Gainsborough & Worksop Times 9,995 -10.4%
Rugby Advertiser 9,987 -7.6%
Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer 9,962 -3.1%
Stirling Observer (Wed) 9,940 -14.1%
Northumberland Gazette 9,917 -4.6%
Boston Standard 9,909 -12.3%
Littlehampton Gazette 9,891 0.0%
Portadown Times 9,808 -3.8%
Eastbourne Gazette 9,752 -9.1%
The Arbroath Herald (inc Broughty Ferry, Carnoustie, Monifieth Guide & Gazette) 9,661 -4.1%
Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer 9,572 -14.9%
Irvine Herald and Kilwinning Chronicle 9,547 -4.3%
Newham Recorder 9,534 -26.3%
Orcadian 9,532 -3.3%
Dumfries & Galloway Standard (Wed) 9,478 -7.3%
Biggleswade Chronicle 9,283 -4.6%
Mid Ulster Mail 9,273 -4.0%
Skegness Standard 9,247 -11.7%
Luton News 9,239 -5.5%
Ripley & Heanor News 9,217 -8.0%
Larne Times 9,213 -4.0%
Newmarket Journal 9,174 -7.9%
Wishaw Press 9,160 -9.2%
Crosby Herald 9,072 -11.2%
Ormskirk Advertiser (Series) 8,964 -18.3%
Louth Leader 8,963 -7.9%
Bexhill Observer 8,878 -5.0%
Mid Somerset Journal 8,752 -7.6%
Ulster Star 8,735 -8.2%
Holyhead & Anglesey Mail 8,663 -12.1%
Gwent Gazette 8,631 -24.0%
Mid Somerset Gazette 8,617 -7.5%
Bridgnorth Journal 8,574 -4.9%
Exmouth Journal 8,553 2.1%
West Highland Free Press 8,519 -2.3%
Daventry Express 8,439 -5.8%
South Shropshire Journal (Series) 8,417 -0.7%
Coalville Times 8,410 -5.0%
Cynon Valley Leader 8,378 -15.4%
Ilkeston Advertiser & Erewash Valley Weekly News 8,367 -1.1%
Clitheroe Advertiser & Times 8,320 -7.6%
Suffolk Free Press 8,309 -11.2%
Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 8,308 -8.0%
The Galloway News 8,300 -6.1%
Linlithgowshire Journal & Gazette 8,281 -3.1%
Surrey Comet 8,281 -17.0%
Reading Chronicle 8,268 -19.0%
Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser (Series) 8,263 -12.4%
Maldon & Burnham Standard 8,257 -11.1%
Epping Forest Guardian 8,157 -12.9%
Free Press – Monmouth (Series) 8,154 -26.5%
Lytham St. Annes Express 8,153 -11.5%
Newport Advertiser (Series) 8,140 -7.0%
Selby Times 8,136 -6.3%
Newry Democrat 8,075 -2.6%
Lurgan Mail 8,067 -2.1%
Sheerness Times Guardian 7,907 -4.6%
Perthshire Advertiser (Tue) 7,885 -6.9%
Hampstead & Highgate Express 7,868 -21.8%
Crawley Observer 7,865 -13.0%
Hucknall Dispatch 7,854 -5.7%
Petersfield Post (Series) 7,729 -3.1%
Somerset and Avon Guardian 7,729 -8.3%
Hackney Gazette 7,580 -22.9%
Matlock Mercury 7,519 -5.0%
Diss Express 7,504 -7.2%
Coleraine Times 7,452 6.4%
North Norfolk News 7,437 -3.8%
Cardigan & Tivy-Side Advertiser 7,407 -7.0%
Berwick Advertiser 7,391 -4.0%
South Wales Guardian 7,347 -12.0%
Spenborough Guardian 7,268 -3.3%
Woking News & Mail 7,261 -12.1%
Witney Gazette 7,155 -3.0%
The Middleton & North Manchester Guardian 7,134 -1.0%
Harrow Observer (Series) 7,109 -7.1%
Dereham & Fakenham Times 7,089 -8.4%
The Buchan Observer 6,966 -3.4%
Beccles & Bungay Journal 6,868 -4.4%
Denbighshire Free Press 6,830 -4.9%
Islington Gazette 6,797 -29.8%
Sidmouth Herald 6,761 -0.1%
Thanet Times 6,694 -16.9%
Midlothian Advertiser 6,687 -4.8%
Derry News – Thursday 6,595 -13.8%
Brighouse Echo 6,587 0.4%
Somerset Standard 6,569 -7.4%
Tyrone Herald 6,523 -0.4%
East London Advertiser 6,509 -26.5%
Central Fife Times & Advertiser 6,498 -2.1%
West Sussex Gazette & South Of England Advertiser 6,424 -15.8%
Annandale Observer 6,340 -4.8%
Batley & Birstall News 6,279 -24.3%
Derry News – Monday 6,234 -10.0%
Hemsworth & South Elmsall Express 6,232 -3.4%
Leighton Buzzard Observer 6,222 -9.9%
The Teesdale Mercury 6,155 -0.1%
Heywood Advertiser 6,122 -7.6%
Wee County News 6,101 -11.4%
Glenrothes Gazette 6,076 -3.2%
Gravesend & Dartford Messenger (Series) 6,028 -24.7%
Harwich & Manningtree Standard 6,004 -4.0%
Rye & Battle Observer 6,002 -3.0%
Milngavie & Bearsden Herald 5,999 -5.4%
Winsford & Middlewich Guardian (Series) 5,927 -5.6%
Barry & District News 5,796 -9.6%
Deeside Piper 5,758 -30.1%
Whitby Gazette – Tuesday 5,737 -7.8%
Knutsford Guardian 5,648 -12.4%
Ripon Gazette 5,584 -5.9%
The Galloway Gazette 5,555 -7.5%
Strabane Chronicle 5,548 0.0%
Penarth Times 5,528 -10.6%
Berwickshire News & East Lothian Herald 5,503 -5.7%
Ilkley Gazette (Incorp. The Ilkley Free Press) 5,479 -3.6%
Wokingham Times 5,392 -12.2%
The Fraserburgh Herald 5,369 -4.7%
Orkney Today 5,312 -7.6%
County Derry Post 5,248 N/A
Hawick News and Scottish Border Chronicle 5,246 -2.6%
Ludlow Advertiser (Series) 5,192 -8.1%
Peeblesshire News 5,148 -3.9%
Morley Observer & Advertiser 5,101 -0.9%
Forfar Dispatch 5,094 -5.4%
Mearns Leader and Kincardineshire Observer 4,998 17.8%
Horncastle News 4,936 -9.0%
Montrose Review 4,820 -4.8%
Halstead Gazette 4,778 -6.1%
Driffield Times 4,700 -6.2%
Wharfedale & Airedale Observer 4,693 -5.2%
Garstang Courier 4,675 -5.0%
Bicester Advertiser 4,664 -11.8%
South Yorkshire Times 4,655 -17.6%
Holderness Gazette 4,536 -2.1%
Haverhill Echo 4,532 -5.2%
Wetherby News 4,443 -11.2%
Londonderry Sentinel 4,326 -3.8%
Bucks Free Press – Midweek 4,326 -20.7%
Milford & West Wales Mercury 4,252 -16.5%
Hornsey Journal 4,243 -28.5%
Wanstead & Woodford Guardian 4,165 -12.9%
Ellesmere Port Pioneer 4,164 -17.2%
Dunstable Gazette 4,142 -5.5%
Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser 4,113 -1.7%
Market Rasen Mail 4,097 -8.5%
Border Telegraph 4,093 -10.7%
Stirling Observer (Fri) 4,084 -15.8%
Todmorden News 4,072 -1.2%
Shoreham Herald 4,070 -6.0%
East Lothian News 4,056 -7.5%
Bracknell News 3,964 -25.3%
Pocklington Post 3,921 -10.0%
Rutherglen Reformer 3,903 -6.3%
Rutland Times 3,897 -15.8%
Whitchurch Herald 3,883 -14.4%
Ballymena Times 3,803 -6.5%
Kenilworth Weekly News 3,704 -4.2%
Neath & Port Talbot Guardian (Series) 3,680 -10.7%
Gainsborough Standard 3,670 -10.6%
Herne Bay Gazette 3,663 -13.6%
Uttoxeter Post & Times 3,657 1.2%
The Ellon Times and Inverurie Herald (Series) 3,559 75.8%
Sleaford Standard 3,516 -13.3%
The Leader 3,508 -5.2%
Tyrone Times 3,435 15.3%
Hebden Bridge Times 3,426 4.1%
Knaresborough Post 3,113 -8.4%
Prestwich and Whitefield Guide 3,094 -17.0%
Longridge & Ribble Valley News & Advertiser 3,063 -7.8%
Annandale Herald 3,056 -2.3%
Faversham News 3,045 -8.5%
Epworth Bells 3,025 -4.0%
Belper News 2,993 -10.8%
London Newspaper Group (Series) 2,990 -5.1%
The Buteman 2,976 N/A
Brechin Advertiser 2,947 -1.1%
Morpeth Herald 2,909 -1.6%
Filey and Hunmanby Mercury 2,805 -2.3%
Strathearn Herald 2,665 -11.0%
Malton and Pickering Mercury 2,651 -7.1%
Blairgowrie Advertiser 2,614 -15.1%
Carrick Gazette 2,573 -7.8%
Sunday Journal 2,473 -9.4%
Faversham Times 2,124 -7.6%
Cheadle Post & Times 1,932 4.5%
Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Herald 1,582 -6.9%
Moffat News 1,141 -5.1%
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