The Midhurst and Petworth Observer was nominated for an award - here's how you can help

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-year-old hotel when the fire broke out on March 15, and the loss of such a historic building continues to have a profound affect on Mihurst 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.

So there’s some big name competition, but the Midhurst and Petworth Observer’s front page represents its commitment to serving the community at large, providing vital and comprehensive coverage of the issues that matter most to our readers.

To find out more about the awards and support us, visit holdthefrontpage.co.uk.

The nominated front page was a special edition of the newspaper, produced the day after the Midhurst and Petworth Observer’s usual print day and following a very special effort from reporters and editors across Sussex World.

Discussing the special edition at the time of its release, Sussex World’s editorial direction Gary Shipton said: “This is not about ‘selling more newspapers’ – the costs of producing this special edition are likely to be greater than the income we would receive from their sales, especially when this week’s normal paper has only just gone on sale.

“Midhurst is proud of its heritage and so are we. This is a special community that will always support each other.

“That is why 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.”