The Times scraps Times2 supplement

The Times has scrapped its daily Times2 supplement and added a series of new pullouts and a four-page puzzles section in its place.

From today onwards, features fromTimes2 including news, daily arts reviews and TV listings, will be incorporated into the main paper.

The features supplement was introduced into the paper in 2005 in a bid to attract more female readers.  It was also expanded as part of the 2008 relaunch.

James Harding, editor of the News International-owned title, said: “A previous editor of The Times once said, ‘A newspaper… like a well covered table, should contain something suited to every palate. That was 225 years ago, but the value in catering to people’s passions is just as true today.

“This is why we are expanding our line-up of daily supplements dedicated to football, well-being, fashion, food and free time. We hope that by making these changes we will do what we try to do every day, namely take the most famous newspaper in the world and make it better.”

From now on, the paper’s daily supplements will include The Game on Monday, Body & Soul on Tuesday, Fashion on Wednesday, The Table on Thursday and Arts & Entertainment on Friday.

In the latest ABC release, for January 2010, The Times posted a 2.5% period on period dip to 508,000 copies.

Times Online, meanwhile, gained 1.5 million unique browsers in January, jumping to fourth place behind Guardian.co.uk, the Mail Online and Telegraph.co.uk, according to ABCe figures.