The free 50p paper.
Walking through the centre of London last night I was surprised to be handed a free newspaper. Other london dwellers will think my raised eyebrow odd, as this is a common occurence.
Yet rather than one of the normal free sheets, it was a copy of the Evening Standard, which is normally 50p.
Then I spotted the headline and realised why: “FREE LONDON PAPER TO CLOSE”. The report explained (was it me or was there a touch of glee in the tone?) how The London Paper, one of its major competitors, was being closed down.
The free handout was a clever marketing reaction, warning free paper readers how now there’d be only one main evening freesheet left (from its sort-of sister stable), and giving them an elbow in the ribs to remind them of the Standard.
Still, a freebie’s a freebie.
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17 June 2025
