North Cotswold Community Radio is a non-profit community internet radio station serving primarily the North Cotswolds and the surrounding area in west-central England.
The station began broadcasting in autumn 2007. Its launch in February 2007 was delayed by some months when the station lost its intended premises at Little Rissington Business Park,[1] but new premises were found in the basement rooms of the Old Police Station in Chipping Campden.[2] The station was supported by The Campden and District Peelers Trust, who offered the premises at the Old Police Station;[2] the Cotswold Conservation Board, a body that oversees the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supports social, environmental and economic projects that benefits the local area;[3] the Gloucestershire Community Foundation, who provided funding after the basement rooms were flooded;[4] the Chipping Campden Community Trust;[5] and the Co-operative Bank.[6] The station made a bid to become a FM community radio station but delays by Ofcom, the independent body that awards community radio licences, led to the station making a complaint to the parliamentary ombudsman in 2009.[7]
A range of different programming is broadcast including news and sport shows, and music shows featuring unsigned artists that would not get airtime on mainstream radio. The show Backtrackin hosted by Richard Price has featured actor Chris Jury, talking about his career,[8] and Matthew and Nicole Cutler, dancers on the BBC series Strictly Come Dancing, talking about their dance partnership.[9] A women show, Girl's Talk, featuring topical discussion and guests was launched in autumn 2009.[10] Peter Knight, member of the folk group Steeleye Span, appeared on The Unsigned Community show, talking about his projects.[11]