Slough & South Bucks Observer

It was founded in 1883 as The Slough, Eton & Windsor Observer, etc. with an original plan to extend coverage to Maidenhead, Uxbridge and Colnbrook. In 1953 it became the Slough Observer, Windsor & Eton Observer, etc., then reverted to its original title – minus the The and the etc. – in 1990.

In recent decades (up to the late 2000s) it appeared in three editions. For many years these were the Slough & Langley Observer, the Windsor, Ascot & Maidenhead Observer, and the South Bucks, Burnham & Iver Observer. The three editions were amalgamated for a while as the Slough & Windsor Observer, but two of them have now resumed independent existence (although the Windsor and Maidenhead edition is now the Royal Borough Observer).

It’s published by the Berkshire Media Group, which has been owned by the Romanes Media Group (formerly Clyde & Forth Media) since 1997. Although it’s mostly sold through the news trade, a substantial share of each issue is distributed by free pickup through supermarkets.

Its website underwent a revamp in 2013. Although content remained free, users were required to answer two questions per month in a Google-run survey to gain full access to it.

The editorial offices were formerly in Slough, but have now moved to BMG’s headquarters in Reading.

It comes out on Fridays.