There are some 900 weekly and daily newspapers in the UK – and your Cambrian News is rated second among its peers.

The paper and its website was pipped at the post at the UK Regional Press Awards in London last Tuesday, with the Cambridge Independent being names the best small brand for news in the UK. The Cambrian News was a close runner-up.

“I can live with the Cambrian News being the best newspaper in Wales and the second-best in the UK,” Editor Mick O’Reilly said. “It a remarkable achievement for the Cambrian News team to be recognised by its industry peers from Britain and Northern Ireland and to finish second out of such a large field.”

The awards were handed out at a gala event in London on 16 April. In all, 21 awards were handed out at the event, with the Belfast Telegraph daily taking eight of those honours. Other winners included the Yorkshire Post and the Manchester Evening News.

“The Cambrian News is in some pretty lofty territory rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest players in the UK news industry,” Mr O’Reilly said. “It speaks to the quality of our reporting both in print and online.”

It’s only the second time Cambrian News has been shortlisted for the UK Regional Press Awards in the paper’s 164-year history, having last made the finalist stage in 2014.

The judges noted that Cambrian News “hits far above its weight. And it does so through its fearless approach to local news and reporting.”

 Before taking the helm at Cambrian News a little over two years ago, Mr O’Reilly was a daily newspaper editor and foreign correspondent working in Canada, the Middle East and Europe. He has reported from Libya, Syria, Ukraine and Guantanamo Bay.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’ve shaken things up a little bit over the last while,” he said. “We won’t accept the status quo, and we believe that those in positions of civic or societal responsibility must be held to account for their actions of inaction. I am committed to making sure our entire news team is fearless in asking the awkward questions, never accepting answers at face value, and looking beyond the obvious or what those in power would have you believe.”

Scott Wood, Managing Director for Tindle Newspapers said: “Congratulations to the team at the Cambrian News on being recognised at the Regional Press Awards 2024 in the category of Small Media Brand.

“To finish runners up is a wonderful achievement and reward for the team continued efforts to serve their local communities with relevant, engaging content.

“The world of local media is fast-changing, and this is testament that the public want a local media company as part of their future.”

“Tindle Newspapers is committed to making sure all its titles meet the challenge of transforming from traditional newspapers into multi-media news hubs that serve our communities with rich and unique content, building on our long history of serving our communities.

“The great work and peer recognition for Cambrian News by the news industry is a very welcome sign that we are well on our way in that journey of transformation.”

Mr O’Reilly said that the newspaper industry faced huge challenges with costs increasing, fewer paper mills producing newsprint, and fewer press plants being available to print those daily and weekly newspapers.

“Last year, some 6 million people clicked on our stories on the web. In 2022, that number was 4.6 million,” he said. “That speaks volumes about the quality of our reporting and why some in power would prefer to silence us. Good luck with that!

“Being second best in the UK just gives us something to aim for next year.”