New freesheet starts London media battle

The streets of London are about to see a bloody newspaper circulation war with the launch of a free evening paper to challenge the hegemony of the Evening Standard.

A "dummy" or test version of the newspaper, to be published by the Express proprietor Richard Desmond, suggests it will devote only seven of its 48 pages to news, with most of the rest given over to show business, gossip, fashion, entertainment, sport and travel. Although provisionally titled the Evening Mail, the top of each of the dummy's pages is marked "London: PM", which may turn out to be its name.

The newspaper is expected to be launched in the next few weeks as competition for the free Metro, as well as the Evening Standard, both published by Mr Desmond's rivals, Associated Newspapers.

The front page, with its old-fashioned serif typeface, is said to look strangely provincial. Most of the headlines refer specifically to London, in what appears to be an attempt to avoid the criticism levelled at the Evening Standard, that it seeks too much of a national agenda.

The front page of the dummyhas a main article about Madonna and a photograph of Renée Zellweger, the star of Bridget Jones's Diary and Chicago, and there are articles inside on Victoria Beckham, Hugh Grant and Gareth Gates.