Well, hello! After seven years away I am delighted to announce that I have this week returned to Daventry as the new editor of the Gusher.
Daventry born and bred, I’m returning for my second spell at the Gusher, this time working alongside my existing duties as editor of the Banbury Guardian.
Much has evolved in the newspaper industry since my last spell at the paper from 2003-2007, so I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss some of those changes and outline the many ways you can now get involved in your newspaper and your Daventry Express website.
Back in 2007 our website was established but still very much secondary to our Thursday print edition, use of Facebook as a business tool was extremely limited and Twitter was less than a year old. Today, however, our www.daventryexpress.co.uk website and our Facebook and Twitter feeds are as crucial in delivering your news and advertising as our popular and established print edition.
The result? In the seven years I have been away the Daventry Express has evolved from being a weekly newspaper to a seven-day-a-week multi-media operation!
Daventry has also changed in the past seven years.
Where once stood a much-neglected pitch and putt golf course now stands a multi-million pound Daventry University Technical College, where once stood the old working men’s club now sits Daventry’s largest retail park alongside a new WMC and where once stood the popular outdoor pool site now sits, err, well, perhaps best to leave that for one now.... although it appears a supermarket development could finally be on the way for land that has been little more than an eyesore for far too long!
Other reasons to get excited about returning to edit my hometown newspaper include the planned Mulberry Place development – which will bring new shops, restaurants, a new library and a cinema to the town centre – and an end of season promotion push that could see Daventry Town reach previously unknown heights come the end of May.
Go on the Purple Army!
In addition to my return to the Gusher, further change, as reported last week, will see our front office reception close from tomorrow (Friday) and our popular photographer Ian Spencer leave us on a full-time basis but will be continuing to offer freelance support to our editorial team.
I would like to take this opportunity, therefore, to offer my thanks to Ian and departing receptionists Antwanette Brightmore and Nancy Bradford for their commitment over the years and offer them my very best wishes for the future. But while these changes are sad, they should in no way been seen as a lack of commitment to you – our readers and advertisers – or to the town of Daventry and surrounding villages.
The Daventry Express remains based in our High Street office and is as committed as ever to sharing your news. Please contact our editorial and advertising teams by referring to the contacts panel on page 2.
I look forward to working with you again – it’s great to be home!