We plan to expand to broadcast on DAB and offer more promotional opportunities to businesses across Ilkley, Skipton and Keighley, as we team up with Your Harrogate Radio.
Rombalds Radio, founded by Ilkley resident Nick Babb and Silsden’s Stuart Clarkson in 2020, will continue to deliver local news and information across its website and radio station, with the team from Your Harrogate providing business development and advertising sales expertise.
Your Harrogate, which also launched in 2020, was set up by former Stray FM breakfast show presenter Nick Hancock and colleague Adam Daniel.
As part of the changes to take effect from 1st November, Stuart Clarkson and Nick Babb will head up content and programmes, while Your Harrogate oversees strategy and the station’s offer to local businesses in the Aire and Wharfe Valleys.
Programmes will continue to be produced and presented from the Rombalds Radio presenters’ home studios - including in Ilkley, Silsden and Skipton.
Nick Babb said: “Over the past three years we’ve seen our ‘lockdown project’ grow into a well-respected local commercial radio station with a strong focus on Ilkley, Skipton and Keighley.
“Our listener base is growing and we’ve been getting out and about at events such as the Christmas Light Switch-Ons, Ilkley Carnival, Skipton Sheep Day and more. That will continue and we look forward to being a bigger part of the local community for many years to come.”
Listeners across Keighley, Ilkley and Skipton will soon be able to tune in to local services via digital radio, after the media regulator Ofcom announced last week that a new ‘small-scale’ DAB multiplex licence will finally be available to apply for in early 2024.
Earlier this year Rombalds Radio founders Nick and Stuart were invited to a Local Media Champions reception at 10 Downing Street, hosted by the Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, where they put forward the case for bringing digital radio to the Aire and Wharfe valleys sooner rather than later.
Stuart Clarkson said: “Our plan from the start has been to be available on DAB. The business is ready to grow to the next level - but we felt we needed to bring in some expertise that we just don’t have.
“Nick, Adam and the team at Your Harrogate have a brilliant radio and online product - and do many things that we’ve not been able to offer to businesses in our area because of limited resources. This deal will ensure the continuation of local programmes and content while preparing the station we created from scratch to be an even bigger success in the future.”
Adam Daniel, Group Commercial Director at Your Harrogate, said: “We’re excited to acquire Rombalds Radio and we can’t wait to start working with all the brilliant businesses across Skipton, Ilkley and Keighley.
“We have been so impressed with Rombalds Radio - it offers a fantastic service at the heart of its community with a very loyal audience.”
You can listen to Rombalds Radio via our online player, using the free Rombalds Radio smartphone app or by asking your smartspeaker to “Play Rombalds Radio”.
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