Topic ID 47
I've only recently become aware of this alleged local paper. It's the Welwyn and Hatfield Times with a few out-of-date Hertford stories thrown in to make it look like it's local. I'm no fan of The Mercury - I think they need competition - but this is just lame. Get past page 5 and all the news is about Welwyn and Hatfield. How does that qualify as local?
Reply ID 157
you couldnt have been more accurate steve. I purchased both the Welwyn and Hatfield Times and the Hertford Times, and the content was identical but rearranged. Very naughty.
Reply ID 162
I can't understand why they have launched it...if you can call it a 'launch'. I haven't seen any publicity, or much evidence of the paper itself. Doesn't look as if Tesco's are taking it, despite selling the Welwyn Times!
Reply ID 168
Coop bengeo and sele farm sell it.but i cant see its a real competitor. the star which comes through my door for free the same day has more local news.
Reply ID 169
They sell it in W.H.Smiths as well. There's an item about the newspaper at http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2003/06june/030604wel.shtml
Reply ID 173
I am quite cross about this reaction. I think a competitor to the current newspapers we have in the area is a welcome change. Things do tend to get a little stale in the patch at times and I think by introducing a new paper it guarantees others may work a little harder to produce a quality product. I think we need to give the Hertford Times a chance - it has only been running a little while I believe and probably could do with the support which the Welwyn Hatfield Times relies so heavily on for excellent coverage of news. I look forward to seeing more.
Reply ID 176
clarissa have you actually read the hertford times as I have read all issues from the first. the original post from steve states that beyond page 5 its all welwyn and hatfield news. Reading todays paper, it seems that they have done nothing to change this unfortunately.
Reply ID 202
You clearly have no idea what the Hertford Times exists to do and have missed the point entirely. It is what is known in the newspaper industry as a slip edition, defined by a number of local pages and the rest are Welwyn Hatfield stories. It doesn't pretend to be anything else. Well done for noticing, though, and if you don't like it, don't buy it. If you have really have read the paper recently I think you would agree that it is not full of out of date stories, as was previously suggested, but is fresh and interesting. Take a look - you obviously have nothing better to do.
Reply ID 203
"It doesn't pretend to be anything else". Excuse me! well why don't you call it the 'Hertwelhat Times' instead of trying to hoodwink us Hertfordians into believing its something special just for us...slip edition!...more like sly edition. ps. Take it you are on the payroll at the Hertford Times Sarah, judging by your hard sell message?
Reply ID 210
She's defo on the pay, good spot sprocky! I agree with some of her points though and with Clarissa, it is worth having some competition. Personally if I was going to pay for a paper I would be buying something that provided me with news outside the county I live in. There's a big wide world out there guys and I reckon you get enough of the local news through the free papers, surely that's what they're there for? I don't mind picking up the the Star or Herald and seeing the same front page as the Mercury since I'm getting the news without paying for it. dms001 sounds like a reluctant fan to me - read them all eh? I reckon you should keep the first, could be a collectors item one day.
Reply ID 213
does anyone wanna buy the first edition from me ;-)
Reply ID 217
Haven't you got a rabbit that might appreciate it dms001 ? :¬)
Reply ID 218
W.H.Smith don't stock it anymore. This week there were only two pages of Hertford news, and most of those stories were in last week's Mercury!
Reply ID 219
You're right. Two pages! Who's gonna fall for that? I guess if you were going to buy the Welwyn Hatfield Times anyway and had an interest in Hertford or worked there, say, two Hertford pages would be better than two Welwyn Hatfield pages. Otherwise, Rusy's got it right - the Mercury's no good either so we may as well wait and get it free. What happened to The Herald? I don't get it delivered any more . . .
Reply ID 220
sarah i still get the herald. i think your paper boy may be slacking.
Reply ID 243
Let's thank our lucky stars that we live in a place that doesn't merit its own newspaper. The whole beauty of Hertford in my opinion is that it's a small, happy place where you can get on with your life in relative peace. My old local paper in Hackney was full of very unedifying news -- I think the most recent headline was something like "Man executed in D.I.Y. electric chair" Thank God THAT kind of stuff doesn't make the HT !!! Edited by - Mike on 05 Sep 2003 10:15:02
Reply ID 250
That is so right. I used to laugh at the headlines in the Mercury - just because they were so absolutely trivial - new traffic lights, war veterans honoured, pub changes name, etc. Now I can't wait to pick it up on a Friday just to see what absolute bliss it is to confirm that - gnerally - I don't have to worry about the terrible things that used to happen EVERYDAY when I lived in Haringey. Just recently we all smiled on my early morning train when a little boy shouted out "Goodbye Hertford, see you soon"! as we pulled out of the station. I'm dead sure I'm not the only one who looks forward to coming back to this oasis of civilisation in the evenings. I don't mind which paper I read - If I don't like it, I just won't buy it again!
Reply ID 252
I agree the Mercury could do with competition but the 'Hertford' Times is hardly that. I purchased a copy a couple of weeks ago to see what their sports coverage was like, do you think someone should tell them that Hertford and Ware have football clubs playing in higher leagues than Welwyn and Hatfield, and that Hertford has a Rugby Club just one division off the professional leagues. Just a thought.
Reply ID 254
Personally i think the Mercurys' local sports coverage is excellent, normally having about seven or eight pages dedicated to the local teams and talented individuals, competing in an extensive range of sports. Can't see anyone else bettering their coverage!
Reply ID 259
Judging by this week's Mercury, there is no need to buy either paper as all the news is here on Hertford.net!!!!! The paper quoted opinions gleaned from these forums on at least three articles this week but, at least, they acknowledged their source. Just goes to show, we are already being quoted as the "voice of hertford" so don't pass the opportunity up to have your say.
Reply ID 273
both hertford and welwyn and hatfield times front pages identical this week. how lazy
Reply ID 274
I'm tempted to report them to Trading Standards for misselling.