Hyperlocal site The Dalstonist launches in east London

London's hyperlocal press continues to expand as The Dalstonist launches for residents and visitors of the E8 postcode.

Providing local events listings, news, reviews and features, the site focuses loosely on the Kingsland Road area but also extends to London Fields and Haggerston.

"In my area there are a lot of bars, clubs, that kind of thing, so I'm hoping that will be quite a good draw and build traffic with those daily listings," Mark Wilding, editor of The Dalstonist, told Journalism.co.uk. "But it's really pitched halfway between an events and listings website – like Time Out – and a local newspaper."

Wilding has previously written for a number of national and trade publications, as well as the Guardian and the Times, and thinks targeting the 20 to 35 demographic in the youthful and vibrant area will be key to the website's success.

"I think hyperlocals in the past might not have worked because someone came along and tried to use the same example across vast areas of the country and I don't think that really works," he continued.

"I think in Dalston, there's a lot of young people around and it attracts people from a much wider catchment area who come here to eat out or go out to clubs and that's why it's not going to be running council press releases everyday."

A quarterly print edition is planned for later in the year that will explore other types of content and topic areas.

"I think what print can do which the internet isn't so good at is longer-form articles," continued Wilding. "So that would be the idea for the print version: features looking into local characters, businesses and people that have a lot of influence in the area.

"Where the website is keeping people up to date with what event might be happening next week or what the news is right now, I think with the print version you've got an opportunity to explore more in depth stories and features."

Free daily newsletter

If you like our news and feature articles, you can sign up to receive our free daily (Mon-Fri) email newsletter (mobile friendly).