EXTRAORDINARY OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR THE HERALD

The fights

to save two newspapers

 

 ”Romantic nut saves local paper” says a headline this week  in The Times newspaper above a story about a California newspaper.  

The same  headline could equally apply to another newspaper now in danger five thousand miles away here in Cumbria. But in Cumbria that headline can only be dreamed of.

The two papers- the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald and The Mountain Messenger in California-  have  much in common. Both were founded within a few years of each other in the 1850`s and both serve a largely mountainous area.

Sadly, in recent years both lost buckets of readers and advertisers  to the internet and were eventually forced to announce that barring a miracle  they would soon be closing.

 

Fortunately, the closure notice was lifted in the California town of Downieville when Carl Butz bought the town`s Messenger and earned the headline name “Romantic Nut”. 

No such luck in Penrith where town`s Herald  has gone into administration and will close after this weekend`s issue if a buyer is not found.

 

The crisis has  sparked off an extraordinary outpouring of dismay and  last week`s issue had   pages crammed  with dozens of readers` letters. And a campaign has been launched aimed at keeping production of the paper under the control of its readers.

The Save the Herald campaign is being led by a group  which includes Chris Cook, a senior research fellow at University College London and Julie Prior a former Penrith businesswoman who is a marketing specialist.

Mr Cook has extensive experience of business finance, insolvency issues and setting up community ventures. He can be contacted by email at savetheherald@gmail.com

Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog has joined the campaign because of strong links with the Herald through our secretary who some years ago was on the staff of another newspaper in Penrith  and worked with five of the previous eight editors of the Herald.

“Over the years, these editors built up  a publication that became  nationally recognised as one of the best local newspapers in the country”, said a spokesman for the Federation today.

“The Herald serves its  community superbly and was always ready to take up the cudgels in support of any deserving cause.

"On occasions in the past, the Federation used the letter columns of the Herald to hold to account the giant Carlisle landlord, Riverside Housing Association of Liverpool . 

“We also used the columns to criticise other autocratic and non-accountable housing associations including the Carlisle - based Two Castles association.”

 Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 52227