Radio West closedown - 1985

In the mid eighties, after a bizarre yet fun few years of stop-start launches, government vacillation, industrial strife, suspicious national advertisers, puzzling programming, a piecemeal UK network and enthusiastic regulation, commercial reality hit the growing ILR network. Centre in Leicester and GB Radio in Gwent collapsed and folded into their neighbours.

In Bristol, Radio West had begun with a typical fanfare in 1981, a shotgun marriage of two rival bidders (Radio Avonside and Bristol Channel). As at Centre, its premises were a little over-equipped for the job in hand, a symbol of a broader issue; and economies on air could soon be heard.

Amidst the familiar economic and industrial challenges, the neighbouring newcomer Wiltshire Radio waded in from Swindon with a merger. Radio West closed early on 9 September 1985, with test transmissions leading to the launch of GWR on 1 October 1985, with opt out programmes for the areas. A Titan had been quietly born, from the most unlikely of beginnings.