West Somerset Free Press

The communities we serve: The West Somerset Free Press serves the towns of Minehead, Watchet, Williton and Dulverton, along with the many villages in a rural area.

Our approach to local news: Today the West Somerset Free Press is a modern newspaper with traditional values, continuing the original concept of a local newspaper serving its community. In an area with a large proportion of older people, it aims to understand the needs and reflect the interests of those readers, and at the same time appeal to young people and their parents. Sports coverage is extensive with lots of local teams playing football, rugby, cricket, skittles and more.

What is great about the area we serve: West Somerset covers a large area of dramatic coastline and the beautiful countryside of Exmoor National Park. It incorporates the large and vibrant villages of Dunster and Porlock, which attract thousands of visitors throughout the year, and attractions including Butlin’s in Minehead, Dunster Castle and the West Somerset Railway heritage line. Hinkley Point nuclear power station, on the fringe of the area, provides thousands of jobs for local people and those from further afield.

How we help advertising clients: The local and experienced sales team at the West Somerset Free Press use their knowledge of the products and areas we serve to help advertisers. Our team offer clients the best possible experience and outcome for their spend, regardless of how much that is. We take our time to discuss our advertisers’ needs and tailor-make packages for the newspaper and website to suit their budget and distribution requirements.

“The West Somerset Free Press is a leading news title in the area, breaking new stories and stories which will not be seen elsewhere.”

- West Somerset Free Press

How we make a difference: The West Somerset Free Press is a leading news title in the area, breaking new stories and stories which will not be seen elsewhere – and presenting them in a thorough, extensive way. The Free Press can never shy away from reporting bad news but it will always highlight the positive, in particular the good work carried out by the area’s many volunteers, charity fundraisers, key workers and so on.

Our history: The West Somerset Free Press was founded in 1860 by a printer, Samuel Cox of Williton. Company ownership and the editorship stayed in the family through Samuel’s son Herbert, his son Frank and, in turn, his son Norman. The editorship passed to Free Press journalist Jack Hurley MBE when Norman died in 1969. Gareth Purcell was editor for 35 years until he retired in 2020. Sir Ray Tindle acquired the company in 1980.