Скачать или смотреть Centre Radio - Launch Day - 07 Sep 1981

It's Monday September 7th, 1981 - launch day for Britain's newest independent local radio station, Centre Radio, serving Leicestershire.

Programmes are underway with the first breakfast show presented by Timmy Mallett, following his move from BBC Radio Oxford.

Little did staff realise that only 2 years later, their station would become the first UK commercial channel to go bust - a situation blamed on the difficult economic situation, an over-spend on premises and low audience figures.

There would be almost a year of silence before Leicester Sound would begin a 26-year run of programming in 1984, before merging with Trent FM and Ram FM in January 2011 to form the regional station, Capital FM East Midlands - part of a wave of takeovers that effectively marked the end of much of the UK's truly LOCAL independent radio.

Apologies for the dodgy sound quality, recorded off AM from Oxfordshire.

You can hear some of the pre-launch test transmissions here:    • Centre Radio - Test Transmissions - Septem...  

Thanks for watching - and listening! :)