They said it wouldn’t last six weeks but this month Blowing Bubbles celebrates its 50th issue. It is a special number for the team who work on the magazine and a long way removed from when editor David Blackmore first dreamed of launching the publication one sleepless night. ‘My thinking then, and remains so today, was that Blowing Bubbles should be a multi-platform publication with a focus on the digital side,’ he said. ‘I had no intention of standing on street corners shouting until I lost my voice in all types of weather ala your traditional fanzine.
‘The idea was the publication would come out in advance of matches. Too often you’d buy a fanzine at the match but only get to read it on the way home when the copy was dated.’
Blowing Bubbles steadily grew over the first two seasons, building up a loyal readership and a team of talented writers. However, after signing off the 38th issue, it became clear the magazine needed refreshing and it was this desire for change that eventually led to Blowing Bubbles Monthly. It turned out to be an excellent decision. ‘The move from fortnightly to monthly gave the team more time to think, plan and produce,’ explained Blackmore.
‘From an average of 1,000 readers in our first season to 6,000 in our second, we then started to hit the 20,000 mark very early on in our third season. ‘And the numbers kept going up until we got to where we are today. A multi-platform magazine that reaches 30,000 West Ham fans every month. ‘It’s not been easy at times. There have been plenty of late nights and lows but I’ve made several friends for life.’
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