I have just returned from Leeds clutching a trophy and certificate which 'proves' something I truly believe - that the Bath Chronicle is the best weekly newspaper in the UK.
Along with my deputy editor Paul Wiltshire and three of our colleagues from our sister papers in Clevedon and Weston we made the mammoth trek 'up north' to attend the Newspaper Society's annual Weekly Newspaper Awards. We had entered the Chronicle into the section of 'Best Paid For Weekly Title in the South West and Wales' and would have been thrilled just to win that competitive award - but what do you know, we did even better!
For, after duly winning that regional title - against great newspapers like The North Devon Journal and The Western Gazette - we were then automatically shortlisted for the overall national title. And what do you know (again) - we won that too. So the Bath Chronicle is now officially the best weekly newspaper in Britain.
Without trying to sound too smug (what do you mean too late for that mate), I have to say it feels fantastic.
I know that awards are sometimes more important to your own industry than to the public at large but anything that puts Bath in the forefront nationally should get all our votes. And because of what we did last night the country now knows that as well as having the best city in the UK we also have THE best newspaper.
I am delighted for all my fellow staff members in every department here in Chronicle Towers who have made this happen. It is a tribute to them all - and also a tribute to all our readers for their loyalty since switching from daily production. Hopefully they can all feel smug as well for helping us achieve this goal.
Not even Billy Bremner had that much fun in Leeds.
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