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January 6, 2016updated 07 Jan 2016 4:58pm

Western Morning News scraps Sunday edition

By Dominic Ponsford

The Western Morning News has closed its Sunday edition.

The new edition of the paper was launched in June 2014 but has failed to attract enough readers and advertisers to be sustainable. The last edition was published on Sunday.

The Plymouth-based title is part of the Local World group which was bought by Trinity Mirror in November. Press Gazette understands that the decision to close the title was made locally and was not a consequence of the acquisition.

Around five editorial staff are expected to be made redundant as a result of the closure and because of the merger of the Western Morning News and Plymouth Herald websites.

Seven new editorial staff were taken on when the new edition was launched.

The Western Morning News has an average daily circulation of just under 25,000 according to ABC. No official circulation figure has been  published for the Sunday edition.

Western Morning News editor Bill Martin said: “We are sorry to announce the end of the Western Morning News Sunday edition but accept there is not sufficient demand for that format.  The changes announced today are to ensure the newsrooms are adapting to the continually shifting media landscape. 

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“There will be an impact on some editorial roles as a result of these changes and we are speaking directly to those affected employees.”

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