The UK's local weekly newspapers lost sales at an average rate of 6.6 per cent in the first half of 2013, according to figures released today by ABC.
Changes to the way local papers are audited meant that only 56 titles released figures this time around, compared with 373 titles six months ago. Most regional weeklies are now opting to have their sales figures audited by ABC just once a year.
The average rate of decline for local weeklies is better than the local daily titles, which lost sales at an average rate of 10.5 per cent in the first half of this year.
But like the dailies, nearly every title was down on print sales. Many have not been helped by sharp increases in cover price.
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The best performing fully paid-for weekly title in the first half of this year was the Gravesend & Dartford Mesenger, which grew sales by 0.9 per cent year on year to 5,147.
The only other title to grow circulation year on year was the Maidenhead Advertiser, up 9.4 per cent to 19,515. But this was due to an increase in free circulation. Paid-for sales dropped from 17,061 in the same period a year ago to 14,364 in first half of this year.
| Title | Avg sale | %sold | Price | Change |
| Sunday Life | 45,768 | 98.7% | £1.40 | -6.1% |
| Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Sunday Sun | 37,588 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -19.4% |
| Scotland on Sunday | 37,407 | 100.0% | £2.10 | |
| Kent Messenger | 34,068 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -6.9% |
| Sunday Mercury | 31,982 | 93.0% | £1.10 | -13.6% |
| Isle of Wight County Press | 30,912 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -5.6% |
| Rotherham & South Yorkshire Advertiser | 24,897 | 100.0% | £0.60 | -4.4% |
| Sunday Herald | 24,881 | 100.0% | £1.30 | |
| Cumberland News | 23,801 | 100.0% | £1.00 | -6.9% |
| Wales on Sunday | 23,416 | 100.0% | £1.15 | -12.4% |
| Maidenhead Advertiser | 19,515 | 73.6% | £0.70 | 9.4% |
| New Milton Advertiser and Lymington Times | 19,184 | 100.0% | £0.40 | |
| Newbury Weekly News | 16,448 | 100.0% | £0.75 | -9.2% |
| Cumberland & Westmorland Herald | 15,722 | 99.9% | £0.75 | -6.4% |
| Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury | 14,348 | 97.3% | £0.80 | -8.2% |
| Kentish Express | 14,039 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -10.6% |
| County Times and Express | 13,906 | 100.0% | £0.75 | -6.8% |
| The Watford Observer | 13,884 | 94.7% | £0.90 | -6.6% |
| Great Yarmouth Mercury | 13,821 | 100.0% | £0.70 | -6.0% |
| Hexham Courant | 13,677 | 100.0% | £0.85 | -5.8% |
| West Cumberland Times & Star | 13,335 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -7.3% |
| Lowestoft Journal | 13,291 | 100.0% | £0.70 | -7.1% |
| Whitehaven News | 12,260 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -7.5% |
| Fermanagh Herald | 12,144 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -5.0% |
| Ulster Herald | 11,315 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -1.6% |
| Welwyn Hatfield Times | 11,279 | 87.6% | £0.70 | -13.8% |
| Kentish Gazette | 10,437 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -7.9% |
| East Kent Mercury | 10,096 | 100.0% | £0.95 | -5.1% |
| Newry Reporter | 9,842 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -9.4% |
| Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer | 7,991 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -5.6% |
| Exmouth Journal | 7,730 | 93.2% | £0.60 | -2.1% |
| West Highland Free Press | 7,572 | 100.0% | £0.75 | -4.2% |
| Coalville Times | 7,374 | 100.0% | £0.48 | -5.6% |
| Medway Messenger (Monday) | 6,914 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -8.0% |
| Bridgnorth Journal | 6,587 | 100.0% | £0.50 | -7.7% |
| South Shropshire Journal | 6,563 | 100.0% | £0.50 | -7.1% |
| Sheerness Times Guardian | 6,423 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -6.0% |
| Newport Advertiser | 6,353 | 100.0% | £0.50 | -8.3% |
| Sidmouth Herald | 6,214 | 96.7% | £0.60 | -2.3% |
| Tyrone Herald | 6,153 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -4.2% |
| North Norfolk News | 6,149 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -7.1% |
| Denbighshire Free Press | 6,123 | 100.0% | £0.60 | -6.9% |
| Ely Standard | 6,054 | 51.4% | £0.55 | -2.7% |
| Dereham & Fakenham Times | 5,984 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -5.4% |
| Sittingbourne News Extra | 5,486 | 100.0% | £0.80 | -1.8% |
| Derry News – Monday | 5,446 | 100.0% | £1.00 | -5.9% |
| Derry News – Thursday | 5,399 | 100.0% | £1.00 | -8.4% |
| Beccles & Bungay Journal | 5,368 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -5.0% |
| Gravesend & Dartford Messenger | 5,147 | 100.0% | £0.85 | 0.9% |
| Strabane Chronicle | 4,779 | 100.0% | £0.90 | -5.7% |
| County Derry Post | 4,448 | 100.0% | £1.00 | -0.7% |
| Banbridge Chronicle | 3,884 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -7.6% |
| Whitchurch Herald | 3,493 | 100.0% | £0.65 | -4.1% |
| Uttoxeter Post & Times | 2,534 | 100.0% | £0.55 | -14.5% |
| Faversham News | 2,325 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -10.7% |
| Herne Bay Gazette | 2,245 | 100.0% | £1.10 | -14.3% |
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