Note 16 - Other Information - Supplemental Cash Payment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Interest	$ 49,518	$ 47,555	$ 52,180
Debt financing and reorganization costs	707	1,773	437
Income tax payments, net	$ 446	$ 8,439	$ 464

Represents information related to debt financing and reorganization costs paid.

No definition available.

Name:	lee_DebtFinancingAndReorganizationCostsPaid
Namespace Prefix:	lee_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash paid for interest, including, but not limited to, capitalized interest and payment to settle zero-coupon bond attributable to accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount; classified as operating and investing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121583591&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration