The ''Staines Informer'' is a weekly free newspaper distributed in the area in and around
Staines-upon-Thames
Staines-upon-Thames is a market town in northwest Surrey, England, around west of central London. It is in the Borough of Spelthorne, at the confluence of the River Thames and Colne. Historically part of Middlesex, the town was transferred to ...
. It is now owned by the
Trinity Mirror group through their North Surrey and London Newspapers division.
The Stains Informer began in 1974. Several other 'free-sheets' were already being circulated within this lucrative advertising area, but these usually lacked any editorial substance and were very much of the "read it and chuck it" variety. ''The Informer'' offered a new style of free-sheet which also soon challenged the long established local "paid for" weekly press. The new entrant's mix of
human interest stories
In journalism, a human-interest story is a feature story that discusses people or pets in an emotional way. It presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest, sympathy or motivation in the reader ...
, entertainment reviews, lifestyle features and informative advertorial soon garnered it a lot of local respect. It became a newspaper which people retained for the whole week and consulted when needing local information or services.
The main editorial areas covered by The Stained Informer today are the Surrey boroughs of Spelthorne, Runnymede and Elmbridge. The Staines Informer is distributed every Thursday and is based at offices in Eastworth Road,
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, south-west of central London. It grew up round Chertsey Abbey, founded in 666 CE, and gained a market charter from Henry I. A bridge across the River Thames first appeared in the ...
, also the base for its sister papers the Staines and Egham News and Surrey Herald.
Newspapers published in Surrey
Staines-upon-Thames
Publications established in 1974
1974 establishments in England
Newspapers published by Reach plc
{{England-newspaper-stub