News

Western Telegraph threatens Herald over advertising standards

Published

11 years ago

August 31, 2014

Herald boss: Thomas Sinclair at WHSmith in Cardigan

THE NEWLY appointed publisher of The Western Telegraph has challenged its new rival newspaper, The Pembrokeshire Herald, to provide evidence on print figures or face being reported to the authorities.

In a letter to Herald acting editor Thomas Sinclair, The Telegraph’s confident new boss, Dean Merrick, described how he believed that claims The Herald has been making over the number of copies being printed per week were ‘untrue’.

In the letter Mr. Merrick said: “It has come to my attention on your marketing pack that is accessible on your website that you claim that you print 20,000 copies weekly of The Pembrokeshire Herald. We believe your claim to be false.”

He added: “I hereby provide you with seven days notice from August 29 to respond to confirm your print figures. If you fail to respond within the 7 day period my complaint will be passed onto the Advertising Standards Authority who will investigate the matter further.”

County Show 2014: 17000 readers

Thomas Sinclair hit back saying: “Our old pre-launch media pack claims a print run of 20k, but we have a new revised version. The number of copies printed each week, however, is immaterial for newspaper advertisers. It goes without saying that what businesses need to know is how many readers a publication has – or the circulation.”

Mr Sinclair said: “Something has clearly rattled The Western Telegraph. The latest JICREG data, updated on April 1, 2014 shows that the WT’s circulation is at an all-time low of 15,753 copies.”

The Herald boss added: “We clearly and repeatedly explain to our customers that we have 17,000 weekly readers. This has been printed on the front page of The Herald several times. It is in all our marketing material. It is what our sales staff consistently tell customers. It was even on the huge banners on top of our two storey stand at the County Show this year.”

Clear message: 17000 readers on banners at Milford Carnival this year.

Mr Sinclair added: “The media pack, which is being referred to, is the one which was designed before the Herald was launched. As reported on the BBC we did launch the paper with a 20,000 print run at launch, but cut this fairly soon after starting. The new and improved media pack which we have been circulating since then quotes a print run of 10,000 copies per week. We do print more than this but we have kept the number to the lowest we print. Contrary to what The Western Telegraph’s publisher has claimed, the old media pack is not accessible via the Pembrokeshire Herald homepage.”

Mr. Sinclair concluded: “Print figures aside, there is one thing which is clear. The Pembrokeshire Herald readership is on the way up, and the Western Telegraph’s is quite obviously on the way down.”

“With what the JICREG data has revealed this year, combined with what our stockists are telling us, I would not be surprised if we have eclipsed the Western Telegraph in reader numbers already.”

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13 Comments

s james

August 31, 2014 at 7:06 pm

I’d rather read the herald than the telegraph. The price had gone up on it but news coverage had gone down. It’s all adverts and once you remove them your left with hardly any pages… go herald.
Gez George

August 31, 2014 at 7:32 pm

I wont be buying the Telegraph again. Seems to be run by vindictive, envious petty minded bigots. The Pembrokeshire Herald is the only newspaper worth reading. Perhaps if the Telegraph concentrated more on putting readable information in their paper and concentrated less on school playground bully antics they may find people buying their paper. Heres on less customer anyway !!
Peter Warrennder

August 31, 2014 at 8:08 pm

The Herald is a great local paper, the Western Telegraph is American owned rubbish. I never buy the WT anymore, it has poor news coverage and is not value for money. Keep up the good work the Herald and your readership will grow and grow.
Claire

August 31, 2014 at 9:45 pm

The Western Telegraph have had a massive presence in the county for as long as I remember. Sadly though it has not done its best to cover the issues that are relevant to the people of Pembrokeshire. The Mercury is finally doing a good job of showing what is actually happening in our county both in and outside the county hall offices. It is somewhat shaken by competition it seems. Maybe if they focussed on writing the news instead of threatening letters, people would read it again!
Chris

August 31, 2014 at 10:51 pm

When the Mercury under the Stoddart family ownership started to grow and their print runs were increasing regularly, The Western Telegraphs owners bought it out!! They felt extremely threatened. If the Heralds print run keep increasing at this rate – Mr Sinclair The Western Telegraph may be making you a big offer – you could be a millionaire. They do not like to be beaten. I have to say, the Herald is a far better read, keep it up
Welshman23

September 1, 2014 at 5:51 am

Well done Herald the new editor should concentrate on yhe news that everyone wants to read. Herald you have rattled the cages of PCC and now it\’s the PCC supported Old Telegraph.
Maud Amy

September 1, 2014 at 12:56 pm

Trouble is the WT stopped reporting anything negative about PCC and any of its councillors and this is what put people off buying it.
Maud Amy

September 1, 2014 at 12:58 pm

People doing wrong on these official bodies should be named and shamed otherwise they just carry on doing what they have always done with no consequences ‘Concerned Pembs’
wendy king

September 1, 2014 at 1:51 pm

As a small business in pembrokeshire I advertise in the herald and the telegraph, However after receiving a phone call from the sales team at the TELEGRAPH asking me to place an ad, I declined, to the response from the member of staff at the TELEGRAPH to “well you advertised with the HERALD last week! why not us! they dont even print or sell copies!” My response was that the HERALD had placed an ad for FREE for me paying off my monthly account each month, looking after a customer 🙂 TELEGRAPHs response was more fool them giving out FREE ads! I was not happy with this conversation. I am not surprised to see this pathetic bickering from the TELEGRAPH, they are tired, dated and I WILL NOT BE ADVERTISING WITH THEM AGAIN!
Burt

September 1, 2014 at 3:23 pm

What can i say the WT have been ripping off small business in pembs for years to the point i couldn’t afford to put my business out there anymore, thank god for the Herald as i9 can now advertise without breaking the bank and everyone i know has given up buying the Wt and will only get the Herald from now on!! keep up the fantastic paper!!
Tenby Skipper

September 1, 2014 at 4:37 pm

The Western Telegraph still doesn’t get it. People want some backbone in their reporting, not soft pedalled puff pieces and press releases, and now there is an alternative which offers what people want. The Herald has done more hard reporting and proper journalism in a year than the WT has in a decade. If the Herald’s sales figures haven’t already overtaken the WT, it’s surely only a matter of time.
Teifion

September 2, 2014 at 1:26 pm

The WT has behaved like the PCC in house magazine over the years – the relationship between the meedja was once described as the relationship between a dog and a lampost – sadly the WT was the lamp-post and has been partly to blame for the shenanigins at the PCC
Mister H

September 7, 2014 at 10:26 pm

A friend of mine once said, if he wanted to buy a car or a house then he would buy the WT. Sooooooo true!!!

Crime

Tenby pub encounter led to lockdown rape, court hears

Published

10 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Court Reporter

A London visitor carried out a serious sexual attack during a family holiday in Pembrokeshire

A LONDON man who raped a woman in a Tenby alleyway during the Covid lockdown period has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Nicholas Mitchell, aged 60, had travelled to the seaside town from Bromley with his daughters in May 2021, as pandemic restrictions were beginning to ease. While out drinking, he struck up a conversation with a woman in a local pub.

Later that night, the court heard, Mitchell followed her into a narrow alleyway, where he subjected her to a serious sexual assault before raping her. He then left the area, abandoning the woman in a state of shock and distress.

Police were alerted and an investigation led to Mitchell’s arrest. He denied any wrongdoing, but a jury convicted him in November of two counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, prosecutor Ian Wright read a victim impact statement in which the woman described the profound effect the attack had on her life. She said she became withdrawn and struggled to leave her home, describing feelings of loneliness, numbness and depression. She told the court the incident had left lasting damage and prevented her from moving forward.

Mitchell was represented by defence barrister James Hartson, who said his client continued to protest his innocence but understood the court was bound by the jury’s findings. He said character references portrayed Mitchell as supportive and hard-working, and argued the offending was entirely out of character.

The defence also drew attention to a delay of more than three years between Mitchell’s arrest and formal charging, describing it as deeply unsatisfactory for all involved.

Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees rejected any suggestion the offending was momentary or accidental. He said Mitchell had deliberately targeted the victim and carried out a violent and degrading attack before walking away without concern for her welfare.

Addressing the defendant, the judge said alcohol was no excuse, describing the assault as driven by sexual entitlement and calling Mitchell’s actions wicked.

Mitchell will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

The court was told Mitchell has a previous conviction for assaulting a police officer in October 2020, following an incident linked to a domestic dispute with his estranged wife.

Crime

Ex-Scout leader jailed over historic sexual abuse of two children

Published

10 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Court Reporter

Abuse carried out in Pembrokeshire and Newport between 1997 and 2002

A MAN who abused two children while working as a Scout leader has been sentenced to prison for historic sexual offences carried out in Pembrokeshire and east Wales.

Paul Skilton, 68, of Llangwm, was convicted at Newport Crown Court of five sexual offences following a jury trial. The offences included two counts of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault.

The court heard that the abuse took place between 1997 and 2002, when Skilton was aged in his forties. Two children were targeted, with incidents occurring at locations in Pembrokeshire and in Newport, Gwent.

The prosecution said Skilton forced a young girl to touch his penis and then pressed himself against her. In a separate incident involving a boy, he reached inside the child’s clothing and touched his buttocks.

Prosecutor Nick Gedge read statements from both victims. The female victim said the abuse had damaged her ability to trust men. The male victim described long-term harm to his mental health and said the abuse had affected the course of his life.

Defending, Ruth Smith told the court that mitigation was limited because Skilton continued to deny the offences despite the jury’s verdict. She said he had no previous convictions and had otherwise led a law-abiding life.

Ms Smith also said Skilton had been actively involved in Scouting for many years and that no earlier allegations had been made against him. She added that his poor physical health would make custody particularly difficult.

Recorder Paul Hartley-Davies said sentencing was constrained by the law in force at the time the offences were committed.

Skilton was sentenced to a total of four years and six months in prison.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Both victims were granted restraining orders preventing any contact.

Skilton was acquitted of six further charges relating to similar allegations.

Community

Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office

Published

12 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush

A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.

The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.

He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”

Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.

The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.

Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.

Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).