Mini Magazine has gone.

[mab01uk]

I have read both Mini magazines on and off over the years, problem for me, with any magazine is the articles get recycled every few years…..

Favourite magazine for me was CCC back in its heyday - because it was about modifying, it was less likely to repeat as well…

I cant imagine who they have been selling the mags to in recent years, I dont think either of my kids have ever purchased a magazine, full stop

Same here....my kids have never bought comics or magazines but the shelves of most WH Smiths are loaded with more niche interest/hobby magazines than I ever remember back in the day. Kelsey Publishing seem to have cornered the market for an ever increasing number of magazines they have brought out or taken over in recent years, so the sales must be there despite a few closures. I guess with digital computer based publishing and freelance staff the lower overheads mean magazines can survive on far lower sales than back in the peak days of CCC, etc. It makes sense to close Mini Magazine when most subscribers will probably be happy to switch to MiniWorld.
I think most on the Mk1 Forum would find the MCR's CooperWorld magazine the best for content and value for money and worth the annual membership fee even if you don't have a Cooper or take an active part in their club events...

[Shep76S]

Well on the Minimag editors twitter he has finally confirmed the last issue. I stopped buying it with the start of the Bini features. (And we have had an R53 since 2005)
Hopefully Miniworld will not go the same way.

[mab01uk]

[jayare]

Got my subscription copy today and it's confirmed in the welcome page that it's the last issue. No contact from Kelsey about what is happening with the subscription so I have no idea if they are transferring me to Miniworld or just cancelling it and stopping taking the money.

JR

[Tim Harber]

Oh goody, off to the newsagent tomorrow then with my £5.50.

I’ve never managed to get a free copy yet ,and for the first 18.5 years of writing I never got any money .

Still, I started out doing photography and drifted into cars so it’s been nice to do something creative rather than spend all my time stitching up penniless Mini owners

I have been flat out with stuff at home for the last year or so but I’m hoping to have some spare energy to put a bit more back into the sanctuary of the Duffer Mini Clan that is this forum.

My only frustration is that I probably know a large chunk of the folk on here but don’t know who you are as you hide behind some weird mask, which mystifies me

Hey ho

[Pete]

It baffles me too Tim the lack of names on forums, but I can’t talk ..I used to be Austin Powered!

I don’t think I got a copy of the Mini magazine articles I wrote either! I had to buy them! Only wrote a few though, I did one on Whizzo, one on Anita Taylor, one on the ‘66 Monte and err.. I forgotten now. Jeff was always great to work with and I did get paid! (a very modest sum). I seem to remember getting them some of the first few article cars they wrote up. Sad to see it’s demise but it appeared to have descended into a sea of carbon fibre and split rims, but evidently there wasn’t enough room in an ever decreasing market for two classic Mini mags. Hope MiniWorld survive!

[Jeff R]

If you think you got paid a modest sum Pete, it would be a king’s ransom compared to nowadays! I’m now on the other side as I occasionally freelance, and it’s fair to say it needs to be done for the love these days.

Oh, and for a good while I didn’t get a free copy either!

Obviously gutted it’s over. 12 years on my career and 27 as a reader. We had so much fun, but sadly it’s not the same game as it was when I joined in 2005. Better to be thankful for the memories I guess, and for the all great people that supported the mag, and me!

I was grateful for the chance to write a farewell piece in the last issue, so if you do pick up a copy, do give it a read.

In future, you may find a few of my words in MiniWorld. From the current issue, in fact… Now I’d never have thought that would happen a decade ago!

[Pete]

In future, you may find a few of my words in MiniWorld. From the current issue, in fact… Now I’d never have thought that would happen a decade ago!

Splitter!
(And mine, though I’m about 6 months behind with it!)

Hopefully the pooled resources will ensure MiniWorld survives, leaner and meaner.

[java gt]

In future, you may find a few of my words in MiniWorld. From the current issue, in fact… Now I’d never have thought that would happen a decade ago!

I think Jeff is a member of the Judean peoples front Pete I was talking to Jeff at the IMM and he did say this was coming down the track but that was between beers and I only now remember talking to him

[Tim Harber]

I've started to go through some of my printed photos (IE pre-digital 2000) and will add some more as and when

First off though was the remembrance that some stuff was not valued just like it is today

Silverstone display by Tim Harber, on Flickr

Silverstone display on site by Tim Harber, on Flickr
Twin carb airbox assembly:£20 including VAT
S points: £2
Mk3 Door Handle set :£19
Unipart rubber mats: £8 pair
Headlining material for one car: £35
Yellow tracer servo hose : £5
Yellow OE plug lead material : £3.50
However the front taper roller bearing kit which must have been cheap in the early 90's at £15 is now normal sort of money
Can't see the price on heated front screen or our repro Aleybars cage

Silverstone different display by Tim Harber, on Flickr

Can't remember which Silverstone this was , but my Sherpa in evidence

Pic of shop in London

Putney shop by Tim Harber, on Flickr

and one of my little silly moments , making a wall of aged packaging

Packaging by Tim Harber, on Flickr

['S'-type]

Got my subscription copy today and it's confirmed in the welcome page that it's the last issue. No contact from Kelsey about what is happening with the subscription so I have no idea if they are transferring me to Miniworld or just cancelling it and stopping taking the money.

JR

My daughter bought me a subscription for Christmas. Have now received a letter from Kelsey saying remaining copies will be Miniworld. If anyone subscribes to both they will make up the deficit by extending the number of copies of Miniworld. Fair enough.

Having looked at my copies, the writing was probably on the wall as the binding style and number of pages changed, dropping about 10 pages from the April edition on . Also content had started to get very thin and even more samey.
I was not really interested in the Bini section and the featured cars (Mini and MINI) reminded me more and more of that 90s mag for boy racers 'Revs'.
The tech section which had been a strong feature seemed to fizzle out in some of the last few editions.
In the battle with Miniworld, not really a zero sum game until now, I think the editorial decision to incorporate the MINI chasing a younger demographic was probably the death warrant for Mini Magazine.
It makes sense to have one title and I'm sure the market can support it for the forseeable future.

[mab01uk]

Having looked at my copies, the writing was probably on the wall as the binding style and number of pages changed, dropping about 10 pages from the April edition on . Also content had started to get very thin and even more samey.
I was not really interested in the Bini section and the featured cars (Mini and MINI) reminded me more and more of that 90s mag for boy racers 'Revs'.
The tech section which had been a strong feature seemed to fizzle out in some of the last few editions.
In the battle with Miniworld, not really a zero sum game until now, I think the editorial decision to incorporate the MINI chasing a younger demographic was probably the death warrant for Mini Magazine.
It makes sense to have one title and I'm sure the market can support it for the forseeable future.

I agree, also sums up what I thought happened to Mini Magazine recently.

I'm quite surprised two rival Mini based magazines lasted as long as they did once they both became owned by Kelsey but hopefully Miniworld will end up in a stronger market position as a result going forward.

[Costafortune]

Editors are everything.

I worked for Jeff, Helen Webster and Gerard Hughes from 1998. All proper Mini people. A one make mag needs those who are both knowledgeable and passionate about the cars. Install someone who doesn't really know their arse from a hole in the ground yet considers themselves the next Setright and BOOM! The magazine is dead.

The other one will go the same way. Just give it enough time.

[Alex]

The writing was probably on the wall when Kelsey took over, but I think the rot set in with Jeff's successor.
Gez couldn't do a lot on a ridiculous budget, and Dan did at least manage to double the circulation before the end.

I guess I'll have to smile at the new MW editor...

[mab01uk]

The writing was probably on the wall when Kelsey took over, but I think the rot set in with Jeff's successor.
Gez couldn't do a lot on a ridiculous budget, and Dan did at least manage to double the circulation before the end.

I guess I'll have to smile at the new MW editor...

The new editor of MiniWorld from the July 2024 issue is Dan Bevis who was previously the editor of Mini Magazine before it was closed by Kelsey.
Paul Guiness, MW editor for the last 13 issues, says he leaves MiniWorld in good health with sales up, subscriptions at a healthy level and advertising continuing to do well despite the current challenges of the publishing industry, which is good to hear.

[Pete]

Ive got a couple of outstanding (as in long overdue!! ) articles to deliver yet. Better speak to the new ed!!

[Alex]

I've already been in contact with Dan - he did a marvellous job (within restraints) at Minin Mag and I can only see him doing well at Mini World.

Fingers crossed the Honchos at Kelsey now understand the negatie impact of putting Binis in Mini magazines, though I wouldn't put it past them to force the issue...

[Spider]

I feel for the Magazines these days, it must be a very hard gig, with competition from the internet, not just for eyes reading articles, but content to put in their editions. Having said that, many years back (pre-internet), I would buy issues of the various Mini Magazines from the Newsagent, often having fresh content and fewer adverts, not that I mind the adverts too much as it's all relevant. Over the past 15 or so years, I found the content just more of the same from the previous editions, though I readily acknowledge that finding new fresh content would be a mission in itself.

It's a credit that they both survived so long and that for now at least, there's still one hanging on well it appears.