Inside Business First: Shout Radio

We're a Community Radio Station that has been running for over a decade. We provide a wide variety of programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have around SIXTY Volunteers. (Not all work from our office; we have around six volunteers at our Blackpool Technology Centre office.)

We broadcast online, and you can tune in at www.shoutradio.org.uk. We have a show for most tastes of music and almost every genre, apart from classical, jazz, and light opera. We're always looking for volunteers, so if you fancy being a Radio Presenter, please get in touch!

We're also on Facebook and X. (Find us at Facebbook.com/shoutradio and @yourshoutradio on X.) Our Social Media Volunteers keep the Socials running, though there are a few posts from me."

You wouldn't think we have a professional radio studio in the building. However, roam the hallway upstairs, and you will find us! We have massive windows that look onto the corridor, and you can see our setup if you walk past. You never know; you might see one of us in action one day!

I broadcast myself. On Sunday evenings, I have an oldies show called Nice n' Easy, and on Wednesday nights, I have My Mixed Bag of Tunes. When I ran a phone in on Christmas Eve, I asked listeners to call in, and I was putting calls on the air, playing back-to-back Christmas songs and having callers sing along. We had so many callers that we crashed the bedside phone system!

When I moved here with my family, I did Hospital Radio in Blackpool and set up Shout Radio with my late mother and best friend. That was ten years ago, and we are going from strength to strength.

It has to have facilities and a great location that makes Business First appealing. When I took a colleague with me to look, we were stunned by the facilities at Blackpool Technology Centre, how clean and organized everything is, and how friendly everyone is. There is a real sense of community in the building. Everyone has a laugh, and everyone gets on with each other so well. The office space is luxurious and spacious.

We have been at Blackpool Technology Centre for almost a month and absolutely love it there! The size of our office is not too small, and it's not too big! It's large enough for what we need (especially with a 10-foot desk along one wall!), not too cramped, and still has room to spare! We have a Scalatrix and will set that up in the spare corner of the office at some point!

It has to be the facilities; they are first-class (at Business First), and I must mention Millie, who works so hard to keep the building running well. The centre gives us a professional environment to work from that is spacious, secure, has access around the clock, and has brilliant facilities.

I've met other tenants and gained a few listeners. The office next door has us on quite a bit! I have also bumped into a few people I know! The Internet and Coms service is second to none. Our Internet is fast and reliable—just what we need when we are broadcasting live shows!

We most definitely make use of the facilities at Blackpool Technology Centre. My volunteers love to go and make a brew in the kitchen, and we use the vending machine a lot, too. We have also used the boardroom. We plan to start a training scheme for new Presentation Volunteers one evening a week, a few weeks, and a few times a year. The boardroom will allow us to do this and train the newest talent for Shout Radio.

I must mention how nice the toilets are at the centre, too. They are clean and fresh, and the cleaning staff do a brilliant job keeping the centre clean and tidy. There is ample parking, but the parking lot gets busy, so be prepared to park on the other side!

Moving to Business First has allowed us to have a base from which our volunteers can work. It further strengthens our cause and the important work that we do. The centre gives us a safe, secure, and accessible base for our volunteers, where they can come and work in a bright, vibrant, and diverse community alongside various businesses and professionals. We love it!

I recommend it! Business first is very straightforward, with no hidden surprises and a really easy process to get moved in. I encourage you to come and look at what facilities are on offer and the fantastic range of offices to rent. You won't regret moving in! Each centre is its own little community, and everyone is so friendly and kind!

We are in the process of becoming a Social Enterprise, which is very exciting! Then, next year, we plan to broadcast on DAB.

We're the maddest bunch of people you will ever meet, but we are professional and very friendly. Some of our shows will make you laugh your socks off (Ginger and Nuts comes to mind), and some will have you tapping your toes and dancing around the room. (Big Fat Party Anthems and Big Tommy's Saturday Music Marathon come to mind)

My lot comes from all walks of life. I have people who work for environmental health, in the oil industry, and in catering, to name a few. Some have been with me since the beginning, and some have only been with us for a short time. I have able-bodied and disabled volunteers,

I have volunteers like me who have done and still do Hospital Radio and come from all corners of the globe. From the Grand Canyon to Bondi Beach, from the grand canals of Amsterdam to the highlands of Scotland!