After 18 months of uncertainty within our communities, the pandemic has shown the importance of coming together and showing support for the local independent businesses that take centre stage within our small towns.
In response to the need of preserving good quality community news and media, a number of independent publishers based in Devon and Cornwall have come together to form the South West Independent Publishing Alliance.
Comprising the popular publishers and community news outlets Launceston Life, Bude Life, the Links Magazines, English Riviera magazine and By the Dart and The Post magazines covering a large part of South Hams in Devon, the Alliance will work to ensure that quality, reliable publications will continue to serve their communities, promoting a range of fantastic independent businesses, reporting on local news and supporting businesses, organisations and groups within their communities.
The Alliance’s aim is simple - to celebrate and champion local. The teams from each publishing company within the Alliance live, work or run their businesses from the towns they represent, and are often involved with and volunteer in their communities.
The South West Independent Publishing Alliance is set to be an excellent partnership between the five publishers, with each having a strong community-minded ethos and producing quality publications with the help of talented sales people, content writers, administrators and social media managers.
As a collective, all publishers within the Alliance are based across large areas of Cornwall and Devon, from the rugged north Cornwall coastline at Bude, through to the moorland market towns in Devon and beyond. With over 60,000 copies of magazines within the publishers’ circulation, it is an exciting time for local publishing and media.
Launceston Life is a small team, led by local girl Ellie Mason in the small market town of Launceston, where its Norman castle is iconic and history rich. Launceston Life delivers to 12,000 residential and business addresses in Launceston and beyond through Royal Mail.
Director Ellie said: “As an independent community publisher we understand the true meaning of positive collaboration. We also know how hard our local businesses work for their profits, and how when reinvested into marketing it is essential that it’s with truly effective and authentic community marketing avenues, like our publications. That is why we are so delighted to be part of this progressive publishing alliance, to champion those doing what Launceston Life does for our town and parishes in other areas.”
Bude Life is based in the pretty Cornish coastal town of Bude, where beach events and activities rule and where stunning views across the Atlantic can be enjoyed for miles. Bude Life distributes to 9,000 homes and outlets in and around Bude, from Morwenstow in the north to Jacobstow in the south.
Jon Michael, who runs the company, said: “Our team at Bude Life are delighted to form part of this new publishing alliance as we work in partnership with our friends across the South West, collectively producing great local news in the communities where we live.”
The ‘Links’ magazines consist of Tavy Links, Moor Links, Oke Links and Plym Links, based just over the border in West Devon, where it takes in stunning views across Dartmoor and sends out 32,000 copies to addresses across the Tavistock, Okehampton and Plymouth areas.
Tim Randell from Links Magazines said: “This is a great opportunity for local businesses to use neighbouring magazines and be guaranteed that the quality of publishing is of the highest level.”
English Riviera magazine covers Torbay and has been in business since 2013, priding itself on content ‘written by local people for local people’.
Julian Rees, publisher at English Riviera magazine, said: “We’re excited to join with other local independent publishers with similar values to our own and to be able to present a broader audience to our customers whose businesses are looking to expand throughout the region.”
Finally, South Devon Magazines, based in Dartmouth, publishes local magazines and guides for residents and visitors across a large part of South Devon. Over 10,000 local residents receive a copy of By The Dart or The Post magazine, hand delivered regularly to their door whilst more than 50,000 visitors to the area pick up copies of their Visitor Guides or Visitor Maps. The magazines and guides are hugely popular and provide comprehensive information about the local area.
Mark Simpson, managing director of South Devon Magazines, said: “As circulations of our local newspapers have declined drastically in recent years, hyper local magazines have grown in importance and are now often the best means for advertisers to reach the greatest number of local people in our communities. We reach a greater proportion of our communities than even social media and are better trusted.
“This alliance gives advertisers a new and cost effective opportunity to promote their businesses more widely across the South West.”
The teams are excited to have come together through the formation of this Alliance, which is the first established independent publishing alliance spanning the Cornwall-Devon border.
The Alliance recognises the importance of visibility in the area and the strength of independent publishers living and working in their towns, knowing their communities and what they need.
For more information about the Alliance or one of the publishing companies, please make contact with one of the following representatives or visit their websites:
Launceston Life - Ellie Mason ellie@launcestonlife.com www.launcestonlife.com
Bude Life - Jon Michael jon@budelife.co.uk www.budelife.co.uk
Tavy Links/Moors Links/Oke Links/ Plym Links - tim.randell@linksmagazines.co.uk https://dartmoorlinks.co.uk/
Dartmouth Magazine - bythedartltd@btconnect.com https://www.bythedart.co.uk/
English Riviera - julianrees47@gmail.comhttps://englishrivieramagazine.co.uk/