Centre Radio closedown

Rinky dinky do.

What do you say on-air when the station you work at is about to collapse? Frankly, "rinky dinky do" is perfectly fine - and, to this, day, I genuinely admire the alacrity. These are the last minutes in the life of Leicester's Centre Radio.

The station was born in September 1981. I recall Trent being poised, back then, to battle with its new East Midlands neighbour, given until then it had been alone. Indeed, listening back to old Trent tapes now, mentions of Leicestershire and Derbyshire had always been surprisingly commonplace. 

Centre 238 bounced on-air with Timmy (Mallett) on the Tranny in a dinner jacket and bowtie, with promises of rich offerings; complemented by some catchy Sue Manning jingles 'direct from the heart of Leicester'.

Trent fought for clients and audience from the borders; BBC Radio Leicester owned the City and significant audiences; and, these were tough economic times. The station had also been launched in, what appears now to have been, rather lavish style. Month by month, its financial situation worsened.

On 6th October 1983, after rescue bids were thwarted, the station fell silent. Its successor, Leicester Sound, benefited from its great investment in premises and lots of Centre Radio grey sweat shirts, which were over-printed cleverly with the new logo in a 'recycled' graffiti style.

More personal commercial radio memories in my book 'Radio Moments' - 50 years of radio, life on the inside'.