Your Local Paper is a new-look paper which will be out every Friday and have 20,000 copies available from a range of outlets, including supermarkets and newsagents, say the publishers.
The area’s three towns of King’s Lynn, Downham Market, and Hunstanton along with the large coastal village of Heacham will also see copies of Your Local Paper handed to shoppers and visitors each Friday.
The team behind the project has many years experience in newspapers and include managing director Alan Taylor, editor Donna Semmens and news editor Daisy Wallage.
“We have had fantastic support for the paper from advertisers. Readers are keen to have an alternative to paying for their local news and free papers have changed, they are no longer the poor relation to their paid-for counterparts.
“We are very much a part of the local community where we all live and the emphasis is very much on the word local – hence the name,” said Alan.
He has previously worked for both Archant, at the Eastern Daily Press (EDP) and the Johnston Press-owned Lynn News, a paid-for twice-weekly.
“There is definitely room in the market for us – advertisers are telling us they want an alternative and the readers don’t always want to be paying around £1 for their local newspapers,” said Alan.
Donna has worked as a journalist in Norfolk for 25 years and was most recently with the EDP. Prior to that she was news editor at the Lynn News for 13 years having left the Diss Express as deputy editor.
“This is a great project to be a part of – we are completely independent so don’t have to dance to anyone else’s tune. We will produce a local paper serving our community and creating a viable platform for our advertisers. West Norfolk is a great place to live and we want to reflect the good things going on as well as reporting the traditional, harder news stories.
“We know there will be people out there who maintain that printed papers have had their day – well we know that’s not the case here and we know our community wants to pick-up a local paper for a good read.”
Self Select Distribution will distribute copies of Your Local Paper to major supermarkets across West Norfolk and is a market leader in the distribution of free newspapers. It has recently become an ABC approved Bulk Distribution associate.
Andy Barker, Sales and Marketing Director said: “Self Select are delighted to support Alan Taylor and his team with the distribution of copies to major retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrison’s and Co-op stores. I’m sure from the plans that I’ve seen that Your Local Paper will be fantastic local newspaper for West Norfolk with a firm focus on giving readers quality local editorial, news and features in a handy sized format”
Your Local Paper is a handy half-Berliner size and is being printed by The Guardian print centre.
Account managers Gary Bush and Karen Everitt, are also part of the team.
