Kentishtowner to publish its first print edition

North London's hyperlocal culture website, Kentishtowner, is set to launch the first of a new monthly print edition on Friday (1 February).

A total of 5,000 copies of the 16-page "high-quality" tabloid will be circulated, with the hyperlocal predicting readership of 20,000. The newspaper will be distributed across pubs, bars, stores and cafes in the area.

According to a release, the site, which launched in 2010, has a "regular audience" of 30,000 monthly visitors and more than 6,600 followers on Twitter. Founder and editor Stephen Emms told Journalism.co.uk this has helped fuel the advertising necessary to fund their newest venture.

"We certainly know that it has worked advertising-wise," he said. "But like any publication we're reliant on advertising driving us forward so hopefully that will allow us to continue to publish it."

The publication will include the features from their 2012 reader awards, additional coverage from the website of local events and local businesses as well as submissions from two new columnists Rick Edwards and Esther Walker.

"A lot of the material is new," said Emms, "including the columns by Rick and Esther, which will also appear online, and we hope to have them regularly.

"They're really excited and really passionate about the area, they're both local and proper professionals. The idea with The Kentishtowner has always been to create a professional publication."

The print edition is the latest in a line of new developments from Kentishtowner, which last year won funding from innovations charity NESTA.

That funding has been used to start a social enterprise aimed at offering media skills to young people as well as building website functions which offer readers a GPS option and deals on local business and produce.

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