Heart Colchester (formerly SGR Colchester) was an

Independent Local Radio Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. As a result of the buyouts and mergers permitted by the Broadcasting Act 1990, and deregulation resulting from the Communications Act 2 ...

station broadcasting to

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...

and the surrounding areas. The station was launched in 1993 as SGR Colchester by the

East Anglian Radio East Anglian Radio was a company based in Norwich that operated 3 Independent Local Radio stations in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex in the UK. The stations owned by the group were: *Radio Broadland in Norwich. * SGR FM in Ipswich & ...

group, which also operated the Ipswich-based

SGR-FM Heart Ipswich (formerly SGR FM) was an Independent Local Radio station that evolved from Suffolk Group Radio, which was the parent company for two Independent radio stations serving the county of Suffolk in England. Overview The older of the rad ...

Radio Broadland Heart Norwich (formerly Radio Broadland) is an Independent Local Radio station for Norfolk and North Suffolk, including Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, until early 2009. The station is owned and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart ...

in Norwich, and

Amber Radio Amber Radio was originally a classic hits/gold radio station operating from studios in both Norwich and Ipswich, England. It was the AM sister station of Radio Broadland and SGR and served Norfolk and Suffolk, covering a population of over a ...

across

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

and

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

History

The station, serving a population of around 150,000, broadcast programmes from its studios in the town during daytime (6am - 6pm) but shared output from its larger sister SGR station in Ipswich at other times. The Colchester station was an immediate success and quickly built an impressive audience locally, soon establishing itself as market leader. Staff in the early years included Mike Stewart (group programme director), Danny Cox (station manager) and presenters Nick Jackson and Simon Taylor. It became part of the GWR Group when East Anglian Radio was taken over in 1996. In January 2009, owners

Global Radio Global Media & Entertainment Limited, trading as Global, is a British media company formed in 2007. It is the owner of the largest commercial radio company in Europe having expanded through a number of historical acquisitions, including Chrysal ...

re-branded SGR Colchester as ''

Heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...

Colchester'' and the following year, it was merged with Heart Essex, resulting in the closure of the station's studio base in the town.

External links

* Radio stations in Essex Colchester Radio stations established in 1993 Radio stations disestablished in 2010

Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom 1993 establishments in England 2010 disestablishments in England {{UK-radio-station-stub

History

See also

External links