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Independent Medway journalism, now available in print

Local Authority began as a digital publication because that was the fastest way to start covering Medway properly. Since 2021, we have published hundreds of stories on local politics, public services, culture, planning, transport, housing, elections, council meetings, odd local disputes, and the stranger corners of life across the towns.

Now, we are bringing some of that work into print.

Our print edition is a free newspaper for Medway, featuring a selection of our reporting, interviews, features, local culture and original photography. It is designed for regular readers, new readers, and anyone who might come across a copy in a café, pub, community space, workplace, or waiting room across Medway.

What’s inside?

Each edition of Local Authority in print brings together some of the best of our recent work, including:

  • Original reporting on Medway Council and local public life
  • Features and interviews from across the towns
  • Local culture, history, sport and community stories
  • Sharp, independent analysis of what is happening in Medway
  • Photography and design from the Local Authority team

The print edition does not replace our online work. Our reporting still appears first here at localauthority.news, where readers can subscribe to receive our stories by email.

The newspaper gives us another way to reach people across Medway, especially those who might not be on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or whichever platform is currently pretending it has not made everything worse.

Where to find it

Chatham

  • The Bohemian // 2 High Street, ME4 4EP
  • Cafe Nucleus // 272 High Street, ME4 4BP
  • Chatham Football Club // Bournville Avenue, ME4 6LR
  • Cleopatra's Legacy // 25 Military Road, ME4 4JG
  • Dragon Coworking // 7-8 New Road Avenue, ME4 6BB
  • Drill Hall Library // Universities at Medway, 54 North Rd, ME4 4TB
  • General At Sea // 1 Lansdowne Road, ME4 6LH
  • Gurkha Fire // New Cut, ME4 6AD
  • The Hub // Universities at Medway, North Rd, ME4 4AG
  • Mrs Sourdough Bakery // 74 High Street, ME4 4DS
  • No 64 Coffee & Brunch // 64 High Street, ME4 4DS
  • Poco Loco // 58-60 High Street, ME4 4DS
  • Ship & Trades // Chatham Maritime, ME4 3ER
  • Sotto Lounge // Unit A, Dockside Outlet Centre, ME4 3ED
  • St John's // 18 Railway Street, ME4 4JT
  • Sun Pier House // Medway Street, ME4 4HF
  • Waterstones // 182 High Street, ME4 4AS

Cliffe

  • Six Bells // 181 Church Street, ME3 7QD

Cuxton

  • The White Hart // Rochester Road, ME2 1AD

Gillingham

  • Cataclysm Games // 45 Canterbury Street, ME7 5TR
  • Glassbox Theatre // MidKent College, Medway Road, ME7 1FN
  • Mast & Rigging // Gillingham Gate Rd, ME4 4FT
  • Medway Record Centre // 36 Canterbury Street, ME7 5TX
  • Old Ash Tree // 136 Rainham Road, ME5 7EN
  • Past & Present // 15 Canterbury Street, ME7 5TP
  • Strum & Bass // 95-97 Watling Street, ME7 2YX

Halling

  • The Homeward Bound // 72 High Street, ME2 1BY
  • Moot Brew Co // Court Farm, Pilgrims Road, ME2 1HR

Hoo

  • The Chequers // 26 Church Street, ME3 9AL

Lower Stoke

  • The Nags Head // Stoke Road, ME3 9RA

Rainham

  • Cafe Nucleus // 35A High Street, ME8 7HS
  • The Greedy Banker // 89-93 High Street, ME8 7HS
  • Mackland Arms // 213 Station Road, ME8 7PS
  • Nutmegs Patisserie // 67B High Street, ME8 7HS
  • The Rose Inn // High Street, ME8 8DR

Rochester

  • 12 Degrees Micropub // 352 High Street, ME1 1DJ
  • Analogue Music // 70A High Street, ME1 1JY
  • Austen's of Rochester // 92 High Street, ME1 1JT
  • Beantown // 126A Maidstone Road, ME1 3DT
  • The Cheese Room // 74 High Street, ME1 1JY
  • Get Ready Comics // 119 High Street, ME1 1JN
  • Hilary's Electrolysis // 331 High Street, ME1 1DA
  • Intra Arts // 337-341 High Street, ME1 1DA
  • Playopolis // 2 Star Hill, ME1 1UX
  • The Ship Inn // 347 High Street, ME1 1DA
  • Store 104 // 104 High Street, ME1 1JT
  • The Royal Crown // 2 High Street, ME1 1PT
  • Three Sheets to the Wind // 173 High Street, ME1 1EH
  • The Two Brewers // 113 High Street, ME1 1JS
  • The Who'd Ha Thought It // 9 Baker Street, ME1 3DN
  • Wolfe & Castle // 44 High Street, ME1 1LD

Strood

  • Aliko's Cafe Lounge // Michael Gill Building, Tollgate Lane, ME2 4TG
  • The Bloom Room // 84A High Street, ME2 4AR

Upnor

  • Bunny & Bear // 72 Ordnance Yard Road, ME2 4UY
  • No Bad Days // 12 Magazine B, Ordnance Yard Road, ME2 4UY

We are always interested in hearing from places that would like to stock Local Authority.

You do not need to be a shop. Our print edition can work well in cafés, pubs, restaurants, libraries, cultural venues, community spaces, offices, waiting rooms, independent businesses, colleges, charities, and larger local employers.

If you have a space where people pass through, sit down, browse, wait, work, drink coffee, or quietly wonder why Medway is like this, we would like to hear from you.

Stocking Local Authority is free. We supply copies, and you make them available to your visitors, customers, staff, or members.

To request copies, contact steven@authoritymedia.news.

Print advertising

Local Authority’s print edition gives businesses, organisations and institutions a way to reach an engaged Medway audience through a free, widely distributed local newspaper.

Advertising opportunities are limited in each edition, with page sponsorships available.

For details, including formats, availability and how to enquire, visit our advertising page.