Trinity Mirror closes Liverpool Post newspaper after 158 years in print

Trinity Mirror is closing the 158-year-old Liverpool Post newspaper just under two years after moving it from daily to weekly distribution.

The Daily Post was previously an upmarket morning newspaper for Liverpool, complementing evening title the Liverpool Echo which is also published by Trinity Mirror.

It was relaunched in January 2012 as a 100-page weekly paper with a cover price of £1.

In the second half of last year sales of the Post dropped to 5,727 compared with a launch ABC of 8,685.

In 2005 the Daily Post was still selling more than 20,000 copies a day but by the end of 2011 sales had dropped to just over 6,000 a day.

The Liverpool Post is to close after almost 160 years of publication in the city.

Trinity Mirror has announced that the paper, formerly the Liverpool Daily Post before it went weekly in January 2012, will be printed for the last time on December 19. Circulation had dropped to 4,000 since the change.

The National Union of Journalists has criticised the decision: Chris Morley, Northern and Midlands Organiser, said: "The closure of The Post, as a freestanding publication, will snuff out a great and influential voice for Liverpool. It's a shocking blow to the city at a time when it needs champions. The NUJ was sceptical when the title was converted from a daily newspaper into a weekly format. We didn't believe it would generate the revenues necessary in a difficult market.

"That said, we have a responsibility to ensure the passing of the Post does not take with it journalists' jobs. To that end we hope the company's declared intention to boost its weekend newspaper and digital publishing yields strong results and keeps journalism flourishing in the city. We will be working hard to make sure our members get the best outcome from this announcement."

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: "It is a tragedy for the city and for the journalists that such an iconic title of such long standing has been closed down. It seems unbelievable that Liverpool cannot sustain a daily as well as weekly. It also sends alarms bells ringing for the consequences of the trend at Trinity Mirror and other newspaper groups to convert dailies to weekly production."

Trinity Mirror said in a statement: "After an extensive review of its portfolio in the North West, Trinity Mirror is to cease weekly publication of the Liverpool Post newspaper, companion website and the Liverpool Business Daily e-edition.

"There are no planned journalist redundancies as a consequence of this decision and the Post will continue its respected coverage of Merseyside’s business community in a Post-branded section of the Liverpool Echo.

"Trinity Mirror is also announcing ambitious plans around weekend publishing. The company is to ramp up its publishing operation across the weekend with further investment in the Echo – the UK’s Regional Newspaper of the Year.

"The Liverpool Post’s final print edition will be December 19 with the Business Daily ceasing publication on the same day."

Trinity Mirror North West managing director Steve Anderson Dixon said: ‘’This is a decision we take with the heaviest of hearts. Sadly, the Liverpool city region no longer generates the demand in terms of advertising or circulation, to sustain both the Post and the Liverpool Echo.

‘’We are committed to retaining the best of the Post in the Echo. We are also committed to the continued expansion of the Liverpool Echo and have exciting plans on the table for weekend publishing. The Echo is an extraordinary brand and we are thrilled to be expanding its reach and creating jobs as we do so.’’

Liverpool Post Editor Mark Thomas said ‘’That the Post has lasted as long is testimony to generations of brilliant and committed journalists who have worked on it.

‘’We have a history of brave and independent journalism and excellent coverage of business, arts, and sport. We will ensure we keep those traditions alive within the Liverpool Echo.’’

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Dominic Ponsford

@DomPonsford

Dominic Ponsford is the editor in chief of Press Gazette and has more than 20 years experience in journalism. Former Paul Foot Awards finalist and PPA editor of the year nominee 2022.