Proof that a good website helps to sell newspapers

• Posted by Rob Irvine at 4:45 PM | add or read comments (0)

The traffic on dailypost.co.uk doubled on Friday as we revealed the results of the North Wales council elections - and Saturday's paper sold like hot cakes.
This is the latest of many examples of stories that are a hot topic online and which sell well in print too. So all that stuff about the Internet being the death of newspapers doesn't quite stack up.
Tell me if I'm wrong but we feel that we have achieved what we set out for with dailypost.co.uk - and that's for it to serve as a companion to the print edition. The web gives you the instant news while the paper puts flesh on the bones.
The election provided real drama - not just the nationwide meltdown of Labour but the drama in our own part of the world, particularly in Gwynedd where the issue of school closures burst onto the party political scene to the detriment of Plaid. Such great stories were as usual passed over by the London papers who were far more obsessed with the capital's mayoral battle.
I'm still getting my head around the notion that Boris Johnson is among the most powerful half dozen politicians in the UK, considerably more important than his own party leader. Have thousands of Londoners woken up in the night in a cold sweat, asking themselves; "Oh no, what have we done?"
Still, let's see how he gets on. At least he combed his hair for his first day at work.
Tomorrow's splash is about the High Court's decision to throw out plans for a multi-million marina in Beaumaris to protect the nearby mussel beds. We're working on a terribly clever headline involving mussels with muscle (now stop groaning!).
And page three reveals the shameful truth about where Welsh councils buy their daffodils.

• Tags:
• Boris Johnson
• elections

LIVE ELECTION UPDATE

• Posted by Rob Irvine at 1:51 AM | add or read comments (0)

Our content management system is poorly. Great flipping timing!
So I am using my blog to update you on the latest election situation in North Wales.
Here you go:
02.14am
Flinshire latest Flint Trelanwy - Labour x2, Hawarden Cons, Holywell West - Plaid, Mold West - Lib Dem, Saltney Stonebridge Ind
01.58am
We have the last few on Anglesey and they as follows......
Beaumaris - Ind, Trearddur bay - Cons, Llannerchymedd - Ind, Maeshyfryd -  Plaid
All in all a 54% turnout.
01.46am
Time for a catch up on Anglesey.....
Amlwch Port - Labour, Parc a'r Mynydd - Ind, Porthyfelin - Ind, London Road - Labour, Morawelon - Labour, Kingsland - Labour, Mechell - Ind, Llaneilian - Lib Dem, Llanbedrgoch - Ind, Llanddyfan -Ind, pentraeth - Ind, Cwm Cadnant  - Plaid, Bodorgan - Ind
01.44am. A few more from Flintshire....
Flint Castle has gone to Labour, Flint Oakenholt is Ind - a big Labour loss there, Holywell east - Lib Dem as is New Brighton
01.33am.
Okay this is how Flinshire looks at the moment
Aston - Ind, Bagillt East - Con, Bagillt West - Lab, Broughton North East - Lab, Brynford - Con, Buckley Bistre West - Lib Dem, Buckley Mountain - Ind, Buckley Pentrobin - Ind, Caergwrle -Lab, Caerwys - Con, Cilcain - Con, Connah's Quay South - Lib Dem, Connah's Quay Wepre - Ind, ffynnongroyw - Ind, Greenfield Lib Dem, Gronant - Ind, Gwernaffield - Con, Holywell Central -  Lab
01.21am
Well in the time we have been away it has been a nightmare for Labour in Flintshire where they have had some big big losses
Labour have won in Bagillt West and Caergwrle but have been beaten badly in the likes of Bagillt East where they have lost to the Conservatives
01.16am
Right folks I'm back in the game, some technical glitches but here goes....
00.52am
Big shock in Flintshire, Labout stalward Kevin Jones is hammered in Bagillt East by Norma Jones from the Conservatives. Could this be a signs of things to come. Words is there has been a really low turnout in Flintshire and that usually spells bad news for Labour.
Elsewhere in the countyMike Reece (Lab) holds Bagillt West, Owen Foster (Cons) holds Cilcain, and William Mullin hold Broughton North east for Labour.
00.45am
Dyffryn Ardudwy is won by Eryl Jones Williams (Ind)
00.42am
More from Gwynedd, coming in thick and fast now.
Corris / Mawddwy is won by John Roberts and Independent and Diffwys and Maenoffere by Gwilym Euros Roberts from Llais. That will make it three.
00.37am
Another run from Anglesey....
Llanfaethlu is won by Ken Hughes (Ind), Valley Goronwy Owain Parry (con), Rhosneigr Philip Fowlie (ind), Bodffordd - William Hughes(Plaid), Aberffraw Glyn Jones (Ind), brynteg Ieuan Williams (ind), Llgoed - Lewis Davies (Plaid), Braint Jim Evans (ind), Llanidna Hywel Eifion Jones (ind).
Phew....
00.33am. Word on the street is it could be all change on Anglesey. Stay tuned.
Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan admitted he was ``apprehensive'' about Labour's prospects in Wales, where he said other parties had fought the election as an opportunity for voters to ``give an interim verdict on Gordon''.
Mr Morgan said Labour’s strategy of seeking to fight the Welsh elections on local issues did not seem to have worked, with the party’s supporters staying at home.
The elections came at a "very inauspicious" time for Labour in Wales, with many low-income workers in the principality hit by the abolition of the 10p tax rate.
"If Labour voters are disaffected they are not going to come out and we are going to lose seats," he told Sky News.
00.25am The POWER in Trawsfynydd (sorry bad joke) is with Thomas Ellis (Ind)
00.20am
Here we go again, Llangelynnin is won by Louise Hughes of Llais Gwynedd. 2-1 up after the first three, and unlike Liverpool last night this one cannot go to extra time.
00.10am
Linda Morgan takes Dolgellau South for Plaid
00.00ish
Well we have our first big story of the night as the party formed on the back of Gwynedd school closure plans have their first council seat. Could this be a sign of things to come. Just to point out only one of the three parts of Gwynedd will be counting tonight, the other you will have to wait for until tomorrow.

Lights out in the ty bach

• Posted by Rob Irvine at 3:30 PM | add or read comments (0)

Apologies for the lack of blogs. Writer's block/couldn't be bothered - that sort of thing.

Anyway, here's the latest from the Daily Post multimedia news hub.

The men's bathroom has a new energy-saving lighting system. The light comes on when you open the door and if you spend too long in the "ty bach" you are plunged into darkness. It's 21st century fridge technology like this that will save the planet. Just don't go to the loo planning on reading The Times cover to cover.

Andy Gilpin is no longer acting deputy editor. He is now deputy editor. The promotion is helping him through the pain of the demotion of Wrexham FC. Dragons fans needn't fret. We will be with you all the way as the team battle their way back out of the Conference.

I am advertising for a sports editor (Andy's old job). If you fancy applying then check out the advert on holdthefrontpage

Congratulations to Andy's predecessor Gregg Fray who has played a big part in the launch of the new Abu Dhabi daily newspaper The National. Fellow Daily Post graduate Roland Hughes bagged the front page lead of the inaugural edition.

I have signed up to take part in the British Heart Foundation's inaugural mass charity bike ride in Rhyl on June 8. It's a 15-mile circular route away from traffic and starts at 9am. If you fancy joining in then visit the British Heart Foundation website

A new hospital for North Wales announced

• Posted by Rob Irvine at 4:56 PM | add or read comments (0)

Just back from a week in sunny Mallorca. Very pleasant but unbelievably expensive. What's happened to Sterling? It's worthless. Europeans are burning it for fun.
Regular readers may recall my last trip there and a few choice "lost in translation" menus. I am pleased to report that the beach bar in Ciutat Jardi is still serving "mussels to the sailor's blouse". Add to this a great new find at a restaurant in Portixol which is serving up steaming bowls of "crap bouquet". Mmm.
I managed to find a telly to see Wales' triumphant conclusion to the Six Nations. No thanks by the way to an Irish bar in Palma which assured me the Wales v France match was 6pm on Sunday. Good job I happened to be thirsty at 6pm on Saturday and in the vicinity of another bar which had a giant telly.
Anyway, back to reality. We'll be splashing tomorrow on the good news that £300m is to be spent on a new main hospital building at Glan Clwyd. There is also more hopeful news about the future of breast cancer services at Llandudno.
We have the shortlist for our wedding of the year competition which attracted many thousands of votes. This event is shaping up to be a big success.
And we have a page lead on the frightening cost of a litre of diesel in North Wales - now up to £1.16 a litre.
Even with the dodgy exchange rate I could have bought wine cheaper than that to wash down my crap bouquet.

New tourism website launches

• Posted by Rob Irvine at 2:37 PM | add or read comments (0)

Our new tourism website for North Wales has launched. I'll say no more other than to ask you to visit www.northwales.co.uk and fill in the message box below with any comments you have on the site.

Many thanks, Rob Irvine, editor of the Daily Post and fretful father of a newborn website

• Tags:
• northwales.co.uk
• tourism website