OPINION: Delighted to bring back ‘proper local radio’ as Your Harrogate goes live on DAB - Nick Hancock

What feels rather lovely is there are many similarities between the first day of Your Harrogate on DAB and my last day at Stray FM.

On my last programme on Stray FM back in August 2020 we talked about many of the things we would miss about the station.

The bits that we all knew and loved about Stray FM because we’d all grown up with them.

I’m pleased to say most of those special things will be back on Your Harrogate in 2022.

The list includes covering all the brilliant local events we have from The Great Yorkshire show to the Great Knaresborough Bed Race (see you there on June 11!).

You’ll hear Your Harrogate out and about at Nidderdale show, Ripon races Ladies day and enjoying all the local events that are planned for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Stray FM was well known for supporting our ‘Local Heroes’ and at Your Harrogate we will always share our platform with the likes of Saint Michael’s Hospice, Martin House, Harrogate Neighbours, Harrogate Festivals and Harrogate Town.

Every day on Your Harrogate you’ll hear people you know and voices you recognise. We have a school of the week feature on the breakfast show.

Taxi drivers calling in with travel news (always Skipton Road and Killinghall roadworks of course!).

You’ll hear Simon Weaver before a match. There’ll be laughs with Simon Cotton and David Ritson launching the Hospitality Awards 2022 and all the stars from Harrogate Theatre.

Local businesses are a massive part of Your Harrogate. We are so grateful for all the brilliant support we have received from our advertisers, many of whom have been with us since day one.

We love all the local adverts. G Craggs are still going strong. Oldridge windows are doing the hokey cokey and MY Ryder do plumbing and heating!

You get to hear from the businesses themselves when we do interviews and outside broadcasts.

If you are the kind of person who likes to know what is going on we are the station for you!

It could be Lightwater Valley or Mama Doreen’s or maybe Rudding Park but we’ll always give you an insight into what’s happening in Harrogate’s leading companies.

Snow days are the big ones. Kids always pray their school will be shut on a snow day!

Or like last Saturday when a tree blocked Crowberry Drive early doors – the storms. Or it might be the floods in Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge.

When the weather turns you can always turn to Your Harrogate.

Finally, I’d like to go back to the final words of that last show on Stray FM when Will Smith and I were saying our goodbyes and these were our last words:

And that leaves the most important person to thank... And that’s you.

And here is the plot twist at the very end... it’s not about us.

It is and always has been all about you.

Listening right now... in the car, at work, with your family.

All of this has only worked because of you.

For us both it has been such a privilege to be a part of your life.

And we hope that you have felt a part of our lives too.

So thank you for listening and thank you for being our friend.