Southport Champion to cease publication

26th August 2022

After nearly thirty years of business, the Champion Newspaper has reportedly printed its last edition.

The Champion have yet to release a statement but have informed their advertisers that they have ‘ceased publication.’

The paper, which once printed 9 editions every week from Southport to North Liverpool, will no longer be published. OTS News has contacted the Champion Media Group for comment.

The full reasons behind the closure remain unconfirmed, but parent company Waypride Ltd showed losses of over £320,000 in its most recently published accounts, with a significant drop in revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

Originally started from a hotel room at the Scarisbrick Hotel, the paper was set up as a rival to then Trinity Mirror, now Reach PLC which own the Echo and The Visiter.

OTS understands staff were called to an emergency meeting on Thursday to be told they would now be made redundant.