A battle between two freesheets: hardly a price war, more a battle between two bald men over a comb? 
Perhaps, but the confrontation between Rupert Murdoch's thelondonpaper and Associated's London Lite is deadly serious. This is arguably the greatest challenge Associated has faced since the disastrous launch of the Mail on Sunday back in 1982.
Associated revamped its Standard Lite - offered in central London at lunchtime - as an evening freesheet, London Lite. It also upped the price of the Evening Standard by 25 per cent to 50p to recoup revenue lost as readers decide a free paper is all they need.
It's a big gamble. London Lite feels and reads like a soulless spoiler. By contrast, thelondonpaper is surprisingly compelling. Today's front page lead - suggesting Richard Hammond was a late stand in for the disastrous Top Gear stunt - felt like a hard news story. And its features were engaging and fun.
The big question surrounds the Evening Standard. I don't think it's worth 50p. I may be biased: I tend to buy it only on big news days or when I've nothing to read on the way home. I'll probably still fork out 50p when a big story breaks but the rest of the time I'll pick up a freesheet. There are certainly people who will buy the Standard out of habit every day, whatever it costs, but Associated cannot rely on them. Paid-for evening papers are in decline across Britain, and London is no exception.
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