In April 2019, the paper finished with just over 430,000 page views and a year on, it ended with 1.7million page views, reports the publisher.
The weekly newspaper has been operating as a digital first newsroom since editor Katie French took over the helm in July 2019. She said the growth represents a demand for local and trusted sources of news.
Editor Katie said: "There is a real demand for local and trusted news right now. I wouldn't say this is exclusively related to the coronavirus pandemic but signalling a societal shift away from a national to a community outlook. This is not just reflected in the number of people reading our website but through the increased number of tips from readers and a rise in phone calls from members of the public.
"During a period of change and uncertainty, people turn to brands they can trust and it's a compliment as well as a privilege to be able to provide this service to readers.
Reflecting on the changes made since starting at the Gazette, Katie said: "My strategy from the beginning has been to focus on good, old-fashioned journalism in the setting of a rolling news environment. Our newsroom (or virtual one currently) is open seven days a week. If a story breaks at midnight on Monday, we will be covering it.
"We have a small but mighty team who are all very passionate about local journalism and the role we play in the community. Our editorial strategy is to focus on community campaigns, in-depth features with light-hearted human interest tales mixed in with the bread and butter: councils, courts and breaking news."
