HG1 Radio is to cease broadcasting this week due to commercial difficulties, it was announced today.
The digital station, which is available online and through smart devices, began operating in July last year.
But its future appeared uncertain when parent company Y01 Enterprises announced last month it was under review after sister station West Yorkshire Radio closed.
Station manager Dave Parker said HG1 Radio will come off air at the end of Thursday. He added:
“Very recently there have been a number of managerial changes at the parent company and we have taken the time to very carefully evaluate the current situation and, although HG1 has had a steady and loyal audience base, things simply don’t stack up on a business level.
“No jobs have been impacted by the closure.
“We would like to say a massive thank you to our presentation team and, most importantly, to our listeners over the last ten months or so.”
HG1 Radio plays music from the 1960s until the present days and provides news and competitions.
Its closure is another blow to Harrogate district local radio.
Last year Stray FM rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio.
Besides Stray FM, Harrogate is served by the digital stations Harrogate Community Radio, Your Harrogate and Harrogate Hospital Radio.
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HG1 Radio’s future under review after sister station closes
The future of HG1 Radio in Harrogate is being reviewed after a sister radio station closed.
YO1 Enterprises closed West Yorkshire Radio days ago because it said it was “unsustainable in the short term”.
Now the company, which operates HG1 Radio and York station YO1 Radio, has said it is evaluating all its projects.
The York-based company issued a statement today detailing recent managerial changes.
According to Companies House, Chris Marsden, Simon Lloyd and Paul Atkinson all resigned as directors on March 22.
Today’s statement says Mr Marsden remains as programme controller.
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It also reveals Wayne Chadwick has taken over as managing director of the group and Dave Parker has been appointed operations director.
Mr Chadwick said:
“It is early days yet – and we are just starting to evaluate all of the projects the company has been involved with, including HG1 Radio.
“We’ve not made any decisions yet – other than the closure of West Yorkshire Radio, which we felt was unsustainable in the short term.
“The changes bring with them a substantial level of investment and we have to ensure that this investment is put to the best use – and in particular is used to support our core operations in North Yorkshire.
“We remain very grateful to listeners and supporters of HG1 Radio, which is continuing to broadcast online.”
West Yorkshire Radio was launched to fill the gap left by Radio Aire and Pulse 2.
Chris Johnson, one of the presenters on West Yorkshire Radio, posted a statement on Twitter last week after YO1 Enterprises decided to go ahead with non-presenter programming.
He said presenters had decided to “terminate their involvement in the station”, which had been run on an “entirely voluntary basis” until that point.
Harrogate radio station finds new homeA radio station in Harrogate has found a new home thanks to a partnership with a local business.
HG1 Radio has set up a studio in Doors Direct’s showroom on Claro Road, ready to welcome its team when covid restrictions allow.
Once the studios have been fully commissioned and tested, the presenters will be able to host their shows ‘live’ from the new base. Managing director Dave Parker said:
“As soon as we are able to do so, we will be operating very much on an ‘open house’ basis for other local businesses and community groups to pay us a visit to see how everything works and to meet the team behind the station.
“It is frustrating that we can’t hold a launch event open day at the moment – but rest-assured the invites will be going out just as soon as it is safe and sensible to do so.”
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HG1 Radio has been on the air since July 2020, with its presenters currently working from home studios. It broadcasts online and via apps and media players, but is hoping to move onto DAB in the future.
Doors Direct, meanwhile, has been based on Claro Road for 21 of its 40 years in business. Owner Sean Clarke said he was looking forward to allowing customers to see the new studio, which includes some of the company’s products in its construction. He added:
Battle for the Harrogate airwaves intensifies“It is really exciting to have a radio station based within our business. It adds a whole new dimension to everything – and I’m looking forward to being able to show it off to customers and other businesses.”
This week’s launch of a second community radio station for Harrogate, and the forthcoming rebrand of Stray FM, has reshaped the local radio landscape.
HG1 Radio, which employs 17 staff, began broadcasting on Monday.
The station, which is available online, as an app or on smart speakers, is owned by YO1 Enterprises, which also runs YO1 Radio, a community radio station for York.
Chris Marsden, programmes director at Y01 Enterprises, said the growth of community radio in Harrogate reflected the national picture as more and more independent local radio stations were bought by large companies. He said:
“The big guys are swooping in and taking over independent stations.”
He said people were “incredibly sad” about the changes to Stray FM, which was bought by Bauer Media last year and will become Greatest Hits Radio in September.
Bauer Media announced in May that Stray FM would become Greatest Hits Radio.
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition set up by the local Liberal Democrats to save Stray FM. Marsden said changes to Stray FM created opportunities for community radio stations.
Marsden, who presented the Stray FM breakfast show 15 years ago, said HG1 Radio would attempt to emulate Stray FM’s traditional role by supporting community events and having high profile local presenters.
“It will be polished, commercially viable and easy to listen to,” said Marsden, who said Y01 Radio currently had “tens of thousands” of listeners.
He added the station would apply for an FM licence.
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The arrival of HG1 Radio provides an alternative to Harrogate Community Radio, which will celebrate its first birthday on 1 August.
Andrew Backhouse, one of three co-founders of Harrogate Community Radio, said he wished HG1 Radio “the best of luck”.
He added:
“We all cater for different audiences. We are run by volunteers and don’t have adverts. We try to be as democratic as possible. We are a not-for-profit organisation that is run by the community, for the community.”
Backhouse said the number of listeners had increased on average by 20 per cent each since the station launched. He said:
“We don’t want to make any money out of it. We just want to let people who don’t have a voice, have a voice.”