The Newsroom

BBC North West Tonight

(January 2009)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
GO
gottago
Just a question, is the old 'BBC NW' logo still burnt in to the front of New Broadcasting House? It used to be quite clear where it used to be when they added the current BBC logo.


Yes. Still very much there till the bitter end! Actually I noticed from the train that the back end of the building has a very old, pre 88 BBC logo "burnt" onto it that they never replaced.

And like Greg I was there recently, last month in fact, for a few days work experience on the last entertainment programme to be worked on from there. Grim is probably the best word to describe the building, especially if you've already worked in MediaCity! I decided that as I would never get the chance to again I would have a nose round the building. It was dark, dingy and almost completely empty. The offices for entertainment were so crampt compared to the ones in Salford and the ventilation was really poor (when it was hot outside, it was extremely hot inside). One of the shower cubicles in the toilets had collapsed with tiles broken all around it. Clearly they hadn't felt the need to replace it so near to the end!

There were plenty of gems around the building. An old BBCi logo would welcome you from the lift to the interactive and online area, there were loads of old awards for religious programmes of the past, and quite a lot of notes and other bits for A Question of Sport and Dragon's Den were still stuck to the walls. The cafe was horrid compared to the MediaCity one and I was quite surprised to see the BBC Club bar was still open, something that hasn't been replicated (or at least as far as I could see) in MediaCity. I think the only other thing still going there was either some 5 Live or 6 Music show as there was some activity in that area though I'm guessing by now they'll have moved as well.

So it was quite sad to see it the way it was but even if the BBC weren't moving a load of departments up north that building really did need to be replaced, not a great place to work when you're trying to make something creative!
:-(
A former member
So... umm... does North West Tonight move to Salford on Monday, or is that on the calendar on the front page incorrect?
GI
ginofish
So... umm... does North West Tonight move to Salford on Monday, or is that on the calendar on the front page incorrect?


Incorrect, there was a report on the NWT about Media City that said they move in November.
VM
VMPhil
Just a question, is the old 'BBC NW' logo still burnt in to the front of New Broadcasting House? It used to be quite clear where it used to be when they added the current BBC logo.


Yes. Still very much there till the bitter end! Actually I noticed from the train that the back end of the building has a very old, pre 88 BBC logo "burnt" onto it that they never replaced.

And like Greg I was there recently, last month in fact, for a few days work experience on the last entertainment programme to be worked on from there. Grim is probably the best word to describe the building, especially if you've already worked in MediaCity! I decided that as I would never get the chance to again I would have a nose round the building. It was dark, dingy and almost completely empty. The offices for entertainment were so crampt compared to the ones in Salford and the ventilation was really poor (when it was hot outside, it was extremely hot inside). One of the shower cubicles in the toilets had collapsed with tiles broken all around it. Clearly they hadn't felt the need to replace it so near to the end!

There were plenty of gems around the building. An old BBCi logo would welcome you from the lift to the interactive and online area, there were loads of old awards for religious programmes of the past, and quite a lot of notes and other bits for A Question of Sport and Dragon's Den were still stuck to the walls. The cafe was horrid compared to the MediaCity one and I was quite surprised to see the BBC Club bar was still open, something that hasn't been replicated (or at least as far as I could see) in MediaCity. I think the only other thing still going there was either some 5 Live or 6 Music show as there was some activity in that area though I'm guessing by now they'll have moved as well.

So it was quite sad to see it the way it was but even if the BBC weren't moving a load of departments up north that building really did need to be replaced, not a great place to work when you're trying to make something creative!


Don't suppose you have any photos? Sounds like an interesting yet depressing tour of a soon-to-be former local BBC building!

I have to say, I'm surprised they haven't washed off the stain from the BBC NW logo at all. It looks very unprofessional, and it makes it even more obvious that they never wash the front of the buliding. It's clearly visibile in the relatively small image.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/north/
GO
gottago
Sadly no pictures as I was in a rush to get back to Media City but I did get this one of an old microphone in a display cabinet of very old radio equipment they had in the foyer.

*

And just in case you needed more confirmation of all that dirt...

*
SR
SomeRandomStuff
So... umm... does North West Tonight move to Salford on Monday, or is that on the calendar on the front page incorrect?


Incorrect, there was a report on the NWT about Media City that said they move in November.


looks like you could be right... they're still at New Broadcasting House on Breakfast this morning.
MW
Mike W
So... umm... does North West Tonight move to Salford on Monday, or is that on the calendar on the front page incorrect?


Incorrect, there was a report on the NWT about Media City that said they move in November.


looks like you could be right... they're still at New Broadcasting House on Breakfast this morning.


Do apologise about that, I was informed over Skype it would be moving today some months ago.
IS
Inspector Sands
I don't know where I heard it but I'm pretty sure they start from Salford on Monday (the 24th)
TV
TVN
I think ranvir must have been on the sauce last night. Really bizzare, she kept saying she was 'googling' the guests.
SP
Steve in Pudsey
Looks like they're still at Oxford Road.
NW
nwtv2003
Looks like they're still at Oxford Road.


I thought it was mid November anyway, even Ranvir said that when Peter Kay asked when the bulldozers are coming in. Laughing

On a similar note more of 5 Live has switched to Salford today.
WE
Westy2
They're basically doing the same as the Mailbox move.

Radio first, then the local telly.

(Only difference is 'Doctors' used basically the 'shell' of Pebble Mill, so they moved last really, unlike Oxford Road, where network telly moved in first!)

How was the previous moves from Dickinson Road & the other Manchester premises handled all those years ago?

In a similar fashion?

(BBC Birmingham, from reading elsewhere, were in multiple premises as well prior to 1970/1971 wasn't they?)

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