Watford Observer

Weekly local newspaper serving Watford, Hertfordshire, UK

Watford Observer
Front page of the Watford Observer on 9 December 2016
Type	Weekly newspaper
Owner(s)	Newsquest
Editor	Peter Wilson-Leary
Founded	1863
Language	English
Headquarters	Observer House, Watford Business Park
Circulation	3,894 (as of 2023)^[1]
Website	www.watfordobserver.co.uk

The Watford Observer is a weekly local newspaper, published by Newsquest. It serves the town of Watford in southwest Hertfordshire, as well as the surrounding area. The paper covers local news, politics and sport, including the town's largest football club Watford FC.

History

The Watford Observer and General Advertiser for Watford, Bushey and Rickmansworth was first published on 24 January 1863 by Samuel Alexander Peacock, the son of John Peackock, a local bookbinder. In the early years of the 20th century it took over a number of other local titles including The Watford Leader and West Herts News was renamed The West Herts and Watford Observer. Its circulation covered Watford, Bushey, Rickmansworth, Harrow, St Albans, Tring and Chesham.^[2]

The newspaper had a weekly circulation of 14,869 in the first six months of 2012.^[3] The Watford Observer also publishes a free paper, appropriately named the Watford Free.^[4]

References

^ "The Watford Observer". Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK). 23 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
^ Russell, Eugenia; Russell, Quentin (2015). Watford and South West Herts in the Great War. Pen and Sword. pp. 14 and 91. ISBN 9781783463749. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
^ "Newspaper reports:Watford Observer". The Newspaper Society. Archived from the original on 24 May 2006. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
^ "History". Watford Observer. Retrieved 21 February 2010.