Sad that the Sunday Independent has closed down

A regional Sunday newspaper has closed after more than 200 years in print – with around 20 people set to lose their jobs as a result.

Staff at the Sunday Independent, which covers the South-West of England, were told this morning that the newspaper had ceased trading.

The paper, which has a particular focus on sport, ran a series of editions covering Cornwall, Plymouth, Devon and Bristol & Somerset and counts Alastair Campbell among its journalistic alumni.

Today’s closure follows the death last August of its proprietor Brian Doel just hours after he had assisted with production of the newspaper’s latest edition.
The last edition of the Sunday Independent, published on 2 April

The last edition of the Sunday Independent, published on 2 April.  The headline was a reference to the Royal Marines rather than the future of the newspaper.

Brian had run the Independent since 2014 after acquiring a 51pc stake in the title from Tindle Newspapers at the same time he stepped down as that company’s managing director.

Editor John Collings, who has been at the helm since 1988, said: “Last Sunday’s Indy was the last one. That is, unless somebody comes over the horizon on a white horse.”

John told Devon Live conditions had been difficult for some time in the local press, but added: “I don’t think we saw this coming. It’s a small staff of about 20 people. They all worked so hard, and we were actually trading well.

“It needs some investment and financial TLC. Without that, we just couldn’t go on.”

According to Devon Live, a firm of accountants is believed to be trying to sell the Independent, which is based in Liskeard, Cornwall.

In October, the Independent received a £2,500 grant from the England and Wales Cricket Board to help supplement its coverage of professional cricket.

Judges for the County Cricket Journalism Awards said they had been impressed by the paper’s in-depth coverage of Somerset, Gloucestershire, Minor County and club cricket in the South-West region.

The paper, formerly based in Plymouth, was once the home of the Mirror Group training scheme, whose graduates include former Tony Blair spin doctor Alastair, now editor-at-large of The New European.

John told HTFP: “Sadly, the decision has been made this morning to stop trading the Sunday Independent as of today – unless something totally unforeseen happens in the next day or so.

“The news has not totally sunk in yet with any of the 20 or so staff, and a host of contributors from Bristol, to Swindon, to Weymouth and all the way down to Land’s End, who we are in the process of contacting. Since the owner’s sudden death last August everyone here has worked tirelessly to keep the Indy going.

“We have, in fact, been trading well in the past year but Brian’s death de-railed our proposals for further investment and growth and, to date, it has not been possible to find some new investors, or someone with the necessary financial TLC, to continue.

“The Indy has been going in some form or other for more than 200 years and, hopefully, someone knows of someone who can ride to our rescue even at this late hour.”

Back in the late 80's and 90's I would practically run to the newsagents on a Sunday morning - if Argyle had won. If they'd lost I'd stay in bed.

The Internet would be the chief slayer I guess. But the 'journalism' was at times hilariously bad. Proof read by a 6 year old, it would seem.

Hey ho.

Can only hope the herald is next.

Still got my Indy sponsored Argyle shirt somewhere.

Sad news.

Angry wrote:

Can only hope the herald is next.

That would be nice. By the way Angers, I might have been a bit brusque toward you the other day about certain etiquette when referring to a Herald link of yours. I'm sorry about that.
As for the Indy, inevitable. Where are all the corner shops ?

Shit. My old man used to work for the Indy back in the 1980's,he knew Brian Doel very well. Didn't realise that he'd passed away, very sad and very sad about the Indy going, i still have it delivered on Sunday mornings even though it's quality and relevance had declined over the years. Always remember the anticipation of seeing the away match accounts and how many stars Harley Lawer awarded each player on Sunday mornings, not to mention his sometimes rather sharp articles on all things Argyle.

It's hard to believe that once Plymouth had its own evening, morning and Sunday paper - not to mention a Football Herald, too, late on a Saturday evening. I thought this was perfectly normal until I lived away from Plymouth and discovered hardly anywhere else enjoyed the same.

Also when you think back to the journalists covering Argyle: Graham Hambly; Harley Lawer; Rupert Metcalf (what happened to him?); Rick Cowdery... Some great names there. Proper journalism, properly written, all fiercely independent and eagerly devoured because they were the only places we ever got decent coverage beyond a tiny column in a national and a score listing. It's even hard to believe that the national dailies didn't usually manage to get our evening scores printed in time for the train journey down from Fleet Street.

Instead now we have FB, Twitter, the baggo, satellite TV, SSN, Youtube and in stead of relying on newspapers and starred performances (I loved them too) we get eye-witness reports and video footage of every game soon after the game (and sometimes during it) that doesn't rely on some long-haired leather-clad despatch rider streaking across town on his Yamaha before Spotlight's Saturday Sports round-up was aired.

In many ways it is much better now but the role of the local media as a critical friend has vanished and we're left with the poodle that the Herald, in betrayal of its once great tradition, has become.

I wonder if I can get a copy of one of their crowd photos from Sunday's edition because their photographer caught my boyish good looks perfectly!

Amazed that awful rag the Herald is still going, good for loo roll substitute but that's about it

Shame about the Independent, end of an era forshore.

Sentimentally sad about this. Another piece of my formative years erased.

Kevin Hodges is my all-time Argyle favourite player and he would get 5 stars for simply touching the ball, or running to the corner flag with it.

Blimey, wish I'd bought it more often now. Grew up with the Sunday Independent dropping on the mat on a Sunday morning. Great coverage of Argo.

We'll all be dead soon.

Gutted about that tbh, liked it for the Argo reporting, mind you I never bought it when Argo lost as I was too depressed !

You lot need to get a grip.
I too liked and dare I say respected the after the event Sunday more measured judgement from Harley Lawer. But, it was only a rag, no more deeply wonderful than ATD. The other end of the spectrum was of course the Football Herald that could be bought in yer local pub, delivered in hard copy at 7pm on a Saturday with even small local reports of a P and D football match 3 hours earlier !!  Astonishing when you think of it. Naive too.
Bye bye Indy, I won't shed a tear for you, but I'll shed a tear for the youth I no longer enjoy and remember your pomposity as dearly as my own. I won't remember the Herald Monday resume that was nearly always laced with local lobby spin. Things move on, community information exchange carries on. One day ATD's demise will be looked back on with the same fondness.

Like your corner shop.....use it (buy it) or lose it.

zyph wrote:

Like your corner shop.....use it (buy it) or lose it.

So, how often do you use yours then Zyph, and why ? Serious question.

beesrus wrote:

You lot need to get a grip.
I too liked and dare I say respected the after the event Sunday more measured judgement from Harley Lawer. But, it was only a rag, no more deeply wonderful than ATD. The other end of the spectrum was of course the Football Herald that could be bought in yer local pub, delivered in hard copy at 7pm on a Saturday with even small local reports of a P and D football match 3 hours earlier !!  Astonishing when you think of it. Naive too.
Bye bye Indy, I won't shed a tear for you, but I'll shed a tear for the youth I no longer enjoy and remember your pomposity as dearly as my own. I won't remember the Herald Monday resume that was nearly always laced with local lobby spin. Things move on, community information exchange carries on. One day ATD's demise will be looked back on with the same fondness.

A 'grip' really? "any suggestions........

Sad day, used to subscribe when first moved into exile.

Elias wrote:

beesrus wrote:

You lot need to get a grip.
I too liked and dare I say respected the after the event Sunday more measured judgement from Harley Lawer. But, it was only a rag, no more deeply wonderful than ATD. The other end of the spectrum was of course the Football Herald that could be bought in yer local pub, delivered in hard copy at 7pm on a Saturday with even small local reports of a P and D football match 3 hours earlier !!  Astonishing when you think of it. Naive too.
Bye bye Indy, I won't shed a tear for you, but I'll shed a tear for the youth I no longer enjoy and remember your pomposity as dearly as my own. I won't remember the Herald Monday resume that was nearly always laced with local lobby spin. Things move on, community information exchange carries on. One day ATD's demise will be looked back on with the same fondness.

A 'grip' really? "any suggestions........

Yes, I do have a couple. I won't waste them here though. This is a bantz site.

Another part of the old Argyle I fell in love with in the early 90's has been consigned to history, along with the buzzing old home park atmosphere replaced with the plastic lego stadium Home Park with no standing & no atmosphere... over sanitised superfan happy clappy social climbing free for all, herald click bait abound. No frills, drive-thru, gender neutral, that'll do, slap dash, be grateful, asset stripped, 4th division parish council, up your arse asbestos Plymouth Argyle. Post admin 2011 Jimmy's Argyle is a husk of dogshit.

RIP Sunday Independent

Basically people read the Internet,  I too grew up with the Sunday Independent, avidly reading the local football and angling reports.
I bought it a couple of times last year, no one could deny the local sports coverage was comprehensive.
On the flip side the rest of the paper was an amateurish right wing rag.
Personally not that bothered it's gone, nothing stays the same folks.

V surprised nobody has made the obvious observation yet...

Pafcintheplace wrote:

Amazed that awful rag the Herald is still going, good for loo roll substitute but that's about it

Indeed that piece of shite should have been the first to go

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

V surprised nobody has made the obvious observation yet...

Go on then...

Peter Ridsdale on a walking holiday ?
Any worthwhile property ?

beesrus wrote:

Peter Ridsdale on a walking holiday ?
Any worthwhile property ?

Not exactly what I had in mind but damned close.

If only there was a respected local businessman with a track record of rescuing popular but failing companies!

Just imagine how favourable the coverage in the Indy would be for the other companies in the portfolio. Every edition would be like an advertising pamphlet eliminating the negative and accentuating the positive and be the perfect vehicle for getting the message across. Kind of like those old ranty Trago ads but more subtly done.

But no idea if the Indy has property. Probably not. So it's just a pipe dream.