Ayr Advertiser

It was founded by John and Peter Wilson as the Air [sic] Advertiser, or, West Country Journal in 1803, and thus claims to be Scotland’s oldest weekly newspaper (a boast it proudly sports in its own masthead and that of its website). It changed the spelling of the town to Ayr in 1839. In 1853 it extended its geographical reach to become the Ayr Advertiser, or, West Country and Galloway Journal, and kept that title until 1968, when it adopted its present title. In the meantime it had also given rise to a number of local editions, including the Kilmarnock Journal (1834), the Irvine Herald (1888), the Troon Herald (1893), the Kilwinning Chronicle (1893), the Carrick Herald (1909) and the Largs & Millport Weekly News (1927).

Politically, it started as a Whig and then Liberal-supporting newspaper. However, at the turn of the 20th century it followed the Liberal Unionist faction of the Liberal Party, eventually supporting Conservative politics outright.

It’s published by Ayrshire Weekly Press, a branch of the Dunfermline-based Romanes Media Group (formerly Clyde & Forth Press), and is part of a series for Ayrshire including the Troon Times and the Carrick Herald. The editorial offices are in Ardrossan.

It comes out on Tuesdays.