HELLO and welcome! I’m Paul Cole and I’ve been a journalist for more than 40 years, writing for a range of newspapers, magazines and websites.

Most recently I’ve been Travel Editor for all of Reach plc’s regional titles across the UK including the likes of the Birmingham Mail, Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, South Wales Echo and many, many more.

But in August 2020 I decided to strike out on my own and savour the challenge of being my own boss for a change. A couple of months later I launched my blog – paulcoletravels.com – which is now read in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Although I’m writing primarily for the blog, my travel features continue to appear in both national and regional newspapers, with recent work running in titles including the Sunday Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Mercury, Wales On Sunday, Birmingham Mail and BirminghamWorld.

I started out as a cub reporter on the Stockport Express back in 1974 and since then there’s been hardly a dull moment working for the likes of the Birmingham Mail, Sunday Mercury, South Wales Echo, Sandwell Evening Mail, Birmingham Post and others.

I’ve worked not just as a travel writer but also as a rock and roll journalist, showbiz columnist, crime correspondent and feature writer on the way to becoming Editor of the Birmingham Mail.

My work has also been published in Melody Maker, Record Mirror, Billboard and other magazines, and I edited the official Gladiators News for LWT, Press Pack for the BBC and Music Power for BRMB Radio. I’ve also contributed to two books: Rock Gazeteer and three editions of New Rock Record.

Along the way I’ve picked up around 20 awards for news, features and travel, including six Newspaper of the Year trophies for titles I’ve edited.

I was a judge on the BRIT Awards for ten years, and editorial head of the Pride of Birmingham Awards, which feed into the Mirror’s Pride of Britain.

My passions are travel, music and good wine – preferably all at the same time. I’ve spent time with The Who in New York, with Tina Turner in Chicago, with Duran Duran in Rotterdam, dined with Michael Jackson, took ZZ Top to the barbers and once babysat for Meat Loaf!

My favourite places? Tough to choose but any list would have to include New Zealand’s South Island, Alaska’s Denali National Park, Iceland, Norway, the Scottish Highlands and the city of Chicago.

I look forward to seeing you on my travels.