Local free newspaper The Sale and Altrincham Advertiser is to cease publication – to be replaced by a consolidated city-wide title called the Manchester Weekly News.
The Advertiser, which is published by Trinity Mirror-owned MEN Media, launched in October 2010 when the Trafford Metro was split into two newspapers, The Sale & Altrincham Advertiser and The Stretford & Urmston Advertiser. The combined circulation of the two papers at launch was 78,000.
The Sale and Altrincham edition covered homes in Sale, Altrincham, Timperley, Bowdon, Partington and Hale.
In its place, MEN Media is to launch what its says will be Britain’s biggest free weekly newspaper, the Manchester Weekly News.
It will launch in early April and be distributed to more than 265,000 homes across Greater Manchester.
Editorial content and display advertising will be editionised to Salford, South Manchester and Tameside, suggesting the content will be covering a bigger patch than the Advertiser did.
Below: A sample edition of the Manchester Weekly News (Tameside edition)
Other weekly titles to be closed down include the Stockport Times, Wilmslow Express and the other Advertiser titles in Tameside, Salford, Oldham and Trafford.
MEN Media says the new Manchester Weekly News will feature “local and community news, highlights of what’s on in Manchester, fashion, shopping and lifestyle features plus a round-up of the latest news and opinion for fans of Manchester United and Manchester City”.
A total of nine positions on the affected weeklies will be made redundant, but nine new roles will be created on the Weekly News. A consultation period has begun for those affected, although they will be able to apply for the new roles.
The MEN’s editor in chief Rob Irvine said: “The new Manchester Weekly News will be a great addition to our portfolio, offering an excellent service of local news and opinion and supporting and promoting the Manchester Evening News and our website.
“Roughly half of the content of the new paper will be editionised so that local communities continue to be well served. It will also give people a rounded picture of what is happening around the region.”
It’s likely that there will be a seamless transition between the old and new papers, meaning the last edition of the Advertiser will be in late March.
Below: This week’s front cover of the Sale & Altrincham Advertiser
