Bristol Post Reveal Drop In Sales After Front Page Gay Wedding Photo

The Editor of the Bristol Post has revealed that they lost thousands of sales of the paper after publishing a photograph of a newly married gay couple on the front page of the paper.

Mike Norton has appealed to the paper’s readership to give feedback following his publication on the front page of a picture portraying the wedding of local couple Mike McBeth and Matthew Symonds.

“…at the risk of attracting every troll in the vicinity – I’ve decided to ask the internet.” Mike appealed – “I want to hear from the people who didn’t buy the paper because of that picture. Tell me why. I ask only that you are reasoned and honest. But I want to start a dialogue and genuinely understand why the picture put you off.”

Although there appears to have been a drop in readership, there was very little in the way of official complaints “I’m a Bristolian, brought up in South Bristol. Real Bristol. One of the things I love about my home town is how characterful, tolerant and non-conformist its people are. So I thought Bristol was ready for that picture. But, boy, was I wrong. We lost thousands of sales of the paper. Which surprised me. Because, on the day, we received just nine phone calls of complaint.”

Mike & Matthew who live in the Southville area of Bristol became the first LGBT couple to have an official same-sex marriage ceremony at the Bristol Register Office. Posing for both the assembled media and wedding guests, their friends unfolded a banner behind them in rainbow colours and with the words, “Just Married”. The picture appeared in many media publications and websites, including the Bristol based daily newspaper.

Mike, a lecturer at Bath Spa University, and Matthew, who works for the Canal and River Trust, met 20 years ago due to their involvement with the Labour Party.

Comments can be made to Mike on the Bristol Post website