Trinity Mirror closes 11th weekly newspaper this year

Trinity Mirror has announced the closure of another weekly newspaper, the 11th to be axed by the publisher so far this year.

The Coventry Times will cease publication on 20 April. The free weekly newspaper is produced by staff from its paid-for sister title, the Coventry Telegraph, and no job losses will result from the closure.

In February, Trinity Mirror announced the closures of the paid-for Crosby Herald and free Formby Times, both based in Merseyside.

The publisher also last week replaced eight free weeklies (previously reported to be six) in the Greater Manchester area – the Stockport Times East, Stockport Times West, Tameside Advertiser, Glossop Advertiser, Oldham Advertiser, Salford Advertiser, Advertiser Series and the Wilmslow Express – with one, the Manchester Weekly News. Nine jobs were lost as a result of the closures.

At the end of last year, Trinity Mirror closed seven newspapers across Berkshire, Surrey and London (including the Reading Post) – resulting in 50 job losses.

The Coventry Times recorded a free circulation of 11,870 in the second half of 2014, down from 121,743 in the first half of 2008.

Trinity Mirror said:

"Following a review of our free distribution newspaper the Coventry Times, the decision has been taken to cease publication.

"The Times has served the company well over many years, as a weekly complement to our daily Coventry Telegraph, but the title has been increasingly impacted by the rising costs of free distribution.

"At the same time, the Telegraph's digital audience has grown exponentially, and we believe advertisers and readers are now better served in print and online than ever before.

"The Coventry Telegraph's audited daily print sales in January were 21,872, with unique daily browsers across desktop, mobile and apps standing at 78,687."

According to the British Newspapers Online website, the Coventry Times was founded in 1982 as the Coventry Citizen. It has been known as the Times since 2007.