Fire edition of paper is up for award

West Sussex Gazette sister paper the Midhurst and Petworth Observer has been nominated for an award – and it’s up to you to help us win.

The newspaper has been shortlisted in this year’s Front Page of the Year Awards for its coverage of the Angel Inn fire earlier this year. More than 30 people, including a number of Ukrainian refugees, were evacuated from the 400-yearold hotel when the fire broke out on March 15, and the loss of such a historic building continues to have a profound effect on Midhurst itself. The awards are hosted by Hold The Front Page – an online publication sharing news, awards and accolades within the media industry itself. Running against Midhurst and Petworth are front pages from other newspapers from all over the UK, including The Scotsman’s reflections on a year of war in Ukraine, the Yorkshire Post’s tribute to Betty Boothroyd, and The National’s highly critical front page about Rishi Sunak’s budget.

The Midhurst and Petworth Observer’s nominated front page was a special edition of the newspaper, produced the day after the usual print day and following a very special effort from reporters and editors across Sussex World. Discussing the special edition at the time, Sussex World’s editorial direction Gary Shipton said: “We believe local people would expect us to play our part – to report faithfully on these events, to praise those who have made a difference, and to help lead the debate in ensuring this building is suitably restored in the future.”

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