Festival chairman praises Harrogate's Stray FM as it faces uncertain future

Concern has grown since the station's owners Bauer Media Group announced earlier this week that Stray FM will now be known as Greatest Hits Radio with national scheduling.

Stray FM has had a long relationship with Harrogate International Festivals from the very beginning.

Its earliest roots before becoming a professional independent station in 1994 lay in the 1980s when a group of friends and radio buffs operatedthe fledgling enterprise from a transmitter on top of the clocktower at St Aidan’s School each summer to enable them to cover events at the Harrogate International Festival.

The festival's current chairman said she had good reason to be grateful to Stray FM.

Fiona Movley said: "As chairman of Harrogate International Festivals, we know that Stray FM evolved from Festival Radio and our long affiliation continued has over time."

“Stray FM has played an important part in the launch and growth of many Harrogate charities over the last 26 years, not least the ones I have been involved in.

"Twenty years ago, my role was to set up and launch Saint Michael’s Hospice Lottery.

"Both Stray FM and the Harrogate Advertiser Group were instrumental in its launch and ongoing success.

"The loss of Stray FM would be felt immensely by the charitable sector in the Harrogate district."

The new owners, Bauer Media Group, who bought Stray FM last year, are believed to have started a period of consultation with employees potentially affected by the changes.

But Bauer Radio's group managing director Dee Ford CBE said the changes in Harrogate would be good for listeners and advertisers.

Mr Ford said: "Expanding the Hits Radio Brand Network will ensure listeners to these acquired stations benefit from multi-platform digital distribution meaning they can continue to broadcast in an increasingly competitive, digital and voice-activated world.

"This ensures the provision of local news and information, traffic and travel as well as access for advertisers to highly-valued audiences."

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