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10

Sept 2021

Last Updated: 10/09/2021
Community
Community

Thousands still without TV signal, says local electrical firm

by Calvin Robinson

| 10 Sept, 2021
Comment

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Exactly one month on from the Bilsdale transmitter fire, the managing director of G Craggs says he is still getting 'calls every two minutes' about the lack of TV coverage despite claims the problem had been resolved for many people.

bilsdale-fire

Thousands of people in the Harrogate district are still without TV coverage after the Bilsdale transmitter fire, says the owner of a local electrical firm.

Stephen Craggs, managing director of G Craggs Ltd, which has stores in Ripon and Boroughbridge, told the Stray Ferret he was still receiving calls from people unable to get channels on their televisions.

Arqiva, the company which owns the transmitter, said this week its temporary mast at Sutton Bank had restored coverage to many areas, such as Masham and Ripon.

But, Mr Cragg said that was not what customers were telling him.

He said:

“We’re still getting phone calls every two minutes saying ‘I thought the transmitter was fixed?’”


Mr Cragg said the majority of people calling him were elderly who relied on television as a means of company.



He added that some did not own tablets and had no catch-up television.



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Following the temporary transmitter being built, a number of district residents told the Stray Ferret that retuning their TVs had brought back some channels but not all.

We are continuing to receive messages from readers saying they are without services. One woman in Ripon told us she would be happy to receive just one channel showing back-to-back repeats of Crossroads.

Many people have been unable to watch TV since the Bilsdale mast caught fire a month ago today.

Mr Cragg criticised Arqiva for appearing to have “no strategy” for dealing with the situation and described the past month as a “fiasco”.

“There is no back-up plan. They are just on one crisis to another.
“Meanwhile, there are thousands of people without TV. Not everybody has a smart TV or tablet.”


In the company's latest update, Paul Donovan, chief executive of Arqiva, said on Wednesday:

“This morning Freeview television services were restored for over 100,000 more homes in the region.
“However, this is a complex task and there is clearly a lot more to do, so we are working with our partners as quickly and safely as possible. I would like to extend a special thank you to all those people who have been supporting friends and neighbours who may not have access to the internet or other sources of information and entertainment. We will prioritise the most vulnerable people affected.”