Western Gazette

Western Gazette
Type	Weekly newspaper
Format	Tabloid
Owner(s)	Trinity Mirror
Founder(s)	Charles Clinker
Editor	Emma Slee
Founded	1863 as Western Gazette; 1743 as Western Flying Post; 1737 as Sherborne Mercury;
Language	English
Headquarters	The Innovation Centre, Barracks Close, Copse Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8RN
Circulation	3,518 (as of 2022)
Website	www.somersetlive.co.uk

The Western Gazette is a regional newspaper, published every Thursday in Yeovil, Somerset, England. The newspaper and digital operation is based at the Yeovil Innovation Centre.

History

The Western Gazette was founded in 1863 in Yeovil.^[1] The first issue was published on 21 February, with a price of one penny.^[3] In 1867, it merged with the Western Flying Post, which had been founded in Yeovil in 1743; the Western Flying Post had merged in 1749 with the Sherborne Mercury, which was first published in 1737.^[1]^[a]

In 2012, Local World acquired owners Northcliffe Media from Daily Mail and General Trust.^[7] Trinity Mirror took control of Local World in late 2015 as part of a £220m deal.^[8]

In June 2016, the newspaper launched Somerset Live, a digital platform dedicated to providing news coverage, feature/human interest stories, entertainment and live blogs to readers across the South West of England and surrounding areas.^[9] The website received an overhaul and a redesign in May 2017 to deliver a more user friendly experience, with improved features and interaction.^[10]

Notes

^ The initial publication of the Sherborne Mercury was in February 173+6⁄7,^[4] which fell between New Year's Day (January 1) and the start of the British civil year (March 25)—see discussion at Old Style and New Style dates#Start of year adjustment. The Western Gazette began noting the founding year of the Sherborne Mercury as 1737 rather than 1736 at some point during 1986–1987.^[5]^[6]