Is it possible for the mag to have a proper spine rather than a couple staples? I find it so much easier with other magazines when looking back for a particular issues out of a big stack to be able to see from the spine which magazine it is, and what edition. Hope this makes sense!

TGO used to be perfect bound (that is the technical term) but our reader surveys told us readers didn't like it and preferred a staple bound magazine. Maybe we should have another reader survey...

I like the staples but it's quite hard to get them straightened out enough to re-use in my stapler !

(Me being half Scottish and half Yorkshire!)

I remember that TGO was bound as described a few years ago, and it was also printed on rather nice matt paper. There was an outcry on the OM forum and TGO reverted to staples and glossy paper. Sad day.

Hmm interesting Cameron - what did readers not like about 'perfect bound' (I think the clue is in the name!) It certainly would have been easier to find a particular issue I was looking for other day, which had a particular article in that I remembered, but I am sure this applies to anyone looking for an issue with a particular walk in.

It certainly would have been easier to find a particular issue

You mean nobody else keeps their magazines filed in chronological order with each year in a separate cardboard holder. All walks cross referenced by area, duration and total ascent? You'll tell me next that nobody ensures that their OS maps are put back in the shelve in numerical order. ;-)

I do prefer perfect bound as the cover and centre pages have a habit of working loose on current format. However, I don't think it's an issue effects whether or not people purchase the magazine. So it wouldn't be worth increasing printing costs for it.

I do aim to be as organised as possible it just doesn't always stay like that until the next big tidy up!

If the reason is printing cost fair enough, but Cameron eluded to it being reader preference rather than cost

I preferred perfect bound too because TGO not only printed the issue number on the spine, but the main article contents too. I guess it doesn't sit flat on the table though.

Mark I'm with you :)

except on the point of the OS maps. Mine are sorted into areas like Lakes, Dales, NYMs...