Watford Observer
{{short description|Weekly local newspaper serving Watford, Hertfordshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = Watford Observer
| caption = Front page of the Watford Observer on 9 December 2016
| image = Watford_Observer.jpg
| type = Weekly newspaper
| foundation = 1863
| owners = Newsquest
| publisher =
| editor = Peter Wilson-Leary
| headquarters = Observer House, Watford Business Park
| circulation = 3,894
| circulation_date = 2023
| circulation_ref = {{cite web|url=https://www.abc.org.uk/product/6794 |title=The Watford Observer |publisher=Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK) |date=23 February 2024 |access-date=2 March 2024}}
| language = English
| website = [http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk www.watfordobserver.co.uk]|
}}
The Watford Observer is a weekly local newspaper, published by Newsquest. It serves the town of Watford in southwest Hertfordshire, as well as the surrounding area. The paper covers local news, politics and sport, including the town's largest football club Watford FC.
History
The Watford Observer and General Advertiser for Watford, Bushey and Rickmansworth was first published on 24 January 1863 by Samuel Alexander Peacock, the son of John Peackock, a local bookbinder. In the early years of the 20th century it took over a number of other local titles including The Watford Leader and West Herts News was renamed The West Herts and Watford Observer. Its circulation covered Watford, Bushey, Rickmansworth, Harrow, St Albans, Tring and Chesham.{{cite book|last1=Russell|first1=Eugenia|last2=Russell|first2=Quentin|title=Watford and South West Herts in the Great War|date=2015|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781783463749|pages=14 and 91|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m7jWCgAAQBAJ&q=Watford%20Observer&pg=PA14|access-date=15 February 2018|language=en}}
The newspaper had a weekly circulation of 14,869 in the first six months of 2012. The Watford Observer also publishes a free paper, appropriately named the Watford Free.
{{Portal|Journalism|England}}
References
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{{Gannett}}
Category:Companies based in Watford
Category:Newspapers published in Hertfordshire
Category:Newspapers published by Newsquest
Category:Newspapers established in 1863
Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United Kingdom
Category:1863 establishments in England
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