However, the circulation figures for titles owned by Northcliffe meant that written consent of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry was required.
[7] However, in October 2003 it was reported that the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry with responsibility for Competition, Gerry Sutcliffe had declined to consent to the transfer of ownership of Northcliffe because of the strength of Northcliffe's titles in the Bristol and Bath area.
[8] As a result, within hours Tindle Newspaper Group led by Sir Ray Tindle acquired the Journal instead, with Donkin continuing to run the Journal part of the company after the takeover.
[9] Tindle Newspaper Group own the title to this day,[10] George Donkin retired in 2013.
[11] The current circulation for The Journal is 10,000 copies per week and is distributed throughout Midsomer Norton and Radstock, to the outskirts of Frome, Bath, Keynsham, the Chew Valley and all of the villages in between.