Bourne Publishing Group

Bourne Publishing Group (BPG) is a small publishing group based in Stamford, Lincolnshire UK. Founded in 1989 as an independent private publisher formed primarily to publish a new launch, the Shooting Gazette, but with the long-term objective of adding other titles, which sat comfortably together.

BPG was started in offices in Bourne, Lincolnshire with three full time staff members and a part-time secretary. It was soon relocated to Stamford at the end of 1998 and there are now more than 35 employees and numerous regular freelancers.

Titles

Other titles were added along the way, including the CPSA’s PULL! magazine in 1990 and BASC’s Shooting & Conservation in 1992.

PULL!

PULL! Magazine had changed hands twice when BPG took on publishing it, both previous contract publishers had given the association considerable production problems, and each in turn ran into financial difficulties. It celebrated its 100th issue in June 2002 (something which was unthinkable in its early days) and the CPSA celebrated their 75th Anniversary in 2003. More recently in 2005 membership exceeded the 26K mark and Pull! Magazine has evolved into a membership magazine that competes successfully with its contemporaries. From the April 2008 issue Pull! will no longer be published by BPG, allowing us to focus more on the current strategic objective of extending our own title brands online.

Just prior to its 15th anniversary, The Shooting Gazette was transferred across to IPC Media part of Time Warner Inc. in May 2004 to further ring fence their other shooting titles Sporting Gun and Shooting Times in view of another launch from Romsey Publishing, Sporting Shooter – which subsequently was sold to Archant Media.

Fieldsports

Fieldsports is the most recent publication to be launched by BPG, initially as a quarterly bookazine retailed exclusively through WH Smith before widening out through the rest of the news trade estate. It is aimed at the top end of the game shooting market and also includes game fishing for the average shot who swops gun for rod out of season. It has a high editorial ratio and limited advertising space.

The Scottish Sporting Gazette

The Scottish Sporting Gazette & International Traveller was acquired by BPG from John Ormiston in 1998. This is a ‘coffee table’ annual which concentrates itself on all things Scottish. It has proved a very successful acquisition and is now in its 28th year.

Your Cat

Your Cat and Your Dog magazines were both added under license from EMAP at the end of 1998. The magazines were showing a slide in sales and ad revenues since successful launches, and EMAP felt that they were not of a size (or indeed subject matter) that fitted in with their new strategies.

Your Cat was launched in 1994 whereupon it immediately became the top cat title and has held its position ever since. Every practical topic is covered with a down to earth approach to enable readers to learn how to keep their cats safe and healthy. Each month the combination of top veterinary, behaviour and nutrition experts produce informative copy using the best photography, ensuring the best package is consistently produced.

Other titles operating in this market are Cat World, a monthly publication, and Our Cats, a weekly title aimed at the showing side of cat ownership. 2004 marked the tenth anniversary of the Your Cat magazine, it has also seen off a new launch, Cats Today. Following a re-design late in 2005 it witnessed positive results in terms of circulation that formed a secure foundation to continue the growth still occurring in present day.

Your Dog

Your Dog was launched in 1995, setting out to break new ground in the canine publishing market. It recognised that many people wanted a truly practical magazine, one that offered advice and help on every aspect of dog ownership. Combined with superb photography and high production values it ensures that readers can enjoy, care and understand their dog. Competitors in this market are Dogs Today, a monthly magazine that tends to be more sentimental, and Our Dogs and Dogs World, two weekly papers aimed at the show circuit. More recently in March 2008, Dogs Monthly has been acquired by a new publisher and re-launched very much as a look alike to Your Dog. Though the circulation distance between the other magazines is not one to be complacent of, Your Dog magazine continues to post circulation increases in the last three ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations UK)audit periods.

In 2003 BPG finally purchased the titles from EMAP making a long-term commitment to the titles and in doing so making an investment for the future of the company.

BPG has grown in size although has remained a small specialist publisher, whose main emphasis revolves around creating superior niche titles with a small but highly trained workforce. BPG has always had close ties with the surrounding communities and often appears in The Stamford Mercury newspaper. As of January 2008, the company has invested heavily in online sites for its titles, with the flagships being www.yourdog.co.uk and www.yourcat.co.uk