Two paid-for weekly local papers in East Yorkshire have merged after Johnston Press sold one of the titles to a rival independent publisher.
The sale of the Selby Times, along with the Goole Courier, to Chronicle Publications Ltd was completed earlier this week. The publisher already owns papers in both towns, the Goole Times and Selby Post.
Chronicle has merged the two Selby papers to create the Selby Times & Post, which will be published every Thursday from today with a cover price of 50p, marking a reduction in the 70p Johnston Press previously charged for the Times.
The latest figures from ABC show that the Goole Courier averages a circulation of 13,181 and the Goole Times 8,905. The Selby Times has a circulation of 5,765 though there are no figures for the Selby Post.
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The new title will be edited by Jane Rogers.
In Goole, Chronicle will continue to publish both the paid-for Times and the free Courier.
Chronicle Publications director Mark Dunkerley said: “The Selby Times and Goole Courier titles fit perfectly in the geography of titles we already publish and bring additional strong brands into our newspaper portfolio.
“As well as providing excellent opportunities for advertisers in their own right, with our ownership the titles will also offer great new selling platforms when paired with our other title, the Goole Times.
“As a company we are very keen to expand into new markets wherever possible and see this acquisition as an outstanding growth opportunity.
“We are pleased to be in a position to continue to expand in this way, even in the current tough economic climate.”
According to Hold The Front Page, staff previously working on the Johnston Press papers have been moved to other titles in its South Yorkshire Newspapers subsidiary.
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