Wolverhampton radio base up for sale at £500k
The headquarters of Free Radio in Wolverhampton has been put on the market for £500,000 as staff prepare to move out in September.
The station, formerly Beacon Radio, will start presenting its shows from new premises in Oldbury later this year.
Its base in a converted orphanage on Tettenhall Road has now been put up for sale.
Some of the station's studio equipment and fittings will be left behind but the owners say they do not expect another broadcaster to take it over.
Staff will be based at Black Country House in Rounds Green Road, Oldbury town centre.
Station owner Orion Media chief executive Phil Riley said: "We are still in Wolverhampton but we are getting ready to leave. The building is up for sale and I'm sure there will be plenty of interest in it."
Free Radio, which was known as Beacon before it was rebranded last year, first began broadcasting on April 12, 1976. Initially it was on the airwaves for 19 hours a day but in March 1978 started broadcasting 24-hours a day.
One of its key figures in its early days was one of its founder members and 'larger-than-life' character Jay Oliver who worked as both managing director and station manager alongside programme controller Alan Mackenzie. Mr Oliver, who died in 2008, was described as a pioneer and inspirational character for the station.
One of the station's best-known former DJs was Dale Winton, who went on to present the television game show Supermarket Sweep in the 1990s.
As part of the move, 15 back office staff will be transferring to the company's base in Birmingham, although the broadcasting will be carried out at the new Oldbury premises.
