The Bee was a local radio station serving southern and eastern parts of
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
, England. On Friday 27 May 2016, The Bee merged with its sister Lancashire station
2BR
Two Boroughs Radio (known on air as 2BR) was an Independent Local Radio station serving East and Central Lancashire, England. It was owned and operated by Global and broadcast from studios at Clayton-le-Moors near Accrington.
2BR was merged ...
.
The station was owned and operated by
UKRD and broadcast from studios at
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is an industrial town in the borough of Hyndburn in the county of Lancashire, England. located two miles north of Accrington. The town has a population of 8,522 according to the 2011 census.
To the west lies Rishton, to the no ...
in
Accrington
Accrington is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, east of Preston, north of Manchester and is situated on the culverted River Hyndburn. Commonly abbreviated by locals to ...
.
History
''The Bee'' initially broadcast to the
Blackburn,
Darwen and
Accrington
Accrington is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, east of Preston, north of Manchester and is situated on the culverted River Hyndburn. Commonly abbreviated by locals to ...
areas under
RSL licences in 2001 and 2002, before winning a permanent licence in December 2004. The station, founded by Roy Martin, launched full-time on 1 October 2005. Its investors included neighbouring station
2BR
Two Boroughs Radio (known on air as 2BR) was an Independent Local Radio station serving East and Central Lancashire, England. It was owned and operated by Global and broadcast from studios at Clayton-le-Moors near Accrington.
2BR was merged ...
, The Radio Business and local shareholders. Initially based at Dalton Court in
Darwen, the station moved to Petre Court in
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is an industrial town in the borough of Hyndburn in the county of Lancashire, England. located two miles north of Accrington. The town has a population of 8,522 according to the 2011 census.
To the west lies Rishton, to the no ...
in August 2010, co-locating with 2BR.
At 7pm on 17 June 2011, the station began broadcasting to the
Preston
Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to:
Places
England
*Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement
**The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement
**County Boro ...
,
Leyland and
Chorley
Chorley is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England, north of Wigan, south west of Blackburn, north west of Bolton, south of Preston and north west of Manchester. The town's wealth came pr ...
areas on 106.5 FM, following the sale and subsequent closure of
106.5 Central Radio
Central Radio is a British Independent Local Radio serving Blackpool, The Fylde, Preston, Leyland, Chorley, Blackburn and Burnley areas of Lancashire which covers approximately 981,000 adults.
The station launched on 25 September 2008, havi ...
. A further relay (96.3FM) for the Chorley area went on air in 2012.
On 4 April 2016, UKRD announced The Bee would be closed and merged with its sister East Lancashire station
2BR
Two Boroughs Radio (known on air as 2BR) was an Independent Local Radio station serving East and Central Lancashire, England. It was owned and operated by Global and broadcast from studios at Clayton-le-Moors near Accrington.
2BR was merged ...
as part of an expansion onto DAB. The merged station carries the same 2BR programming and identity with opt-outs for local news, traffic and advertising in the Burnley, Blackburn and Preston & Chorley areas.
In July 2018, the expanded 2BR was brought by
Global.
Frequencies
* 96.3FM
Chorley
Chorley is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England, north of Wigan, south west of Blackburn, north west of Bolton, south of Preston and north west of Manchester. The town's wealth came pr ...
* 106.5FM
Preston
Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to:
Places
England
*Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement
**The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement
**County Boro ...
and South
Ribble
* 107FM
Blackburn,
Darwen and
Accrington
Accrington is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, east of Preston, north of Manchester and is situated on the culverted River Hyndburn. Commonly abbreviated by locals to ...
References
Radio stations in Lancashire
Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom
{{UK-radio-station-stub