Network – Page 15 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Radio Outside Broadcast Rate Card

This Radio Outside Broadcast Rate Card from 1995/6 shows the charges of various radio resources to be charged to programmes. This dates from the John Birt era of Producer Choice, and the sell off of BBC Resources.

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing the document.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:

Peter Poole: ‘Producer choice generated a lot of paperwork. At the end of the studio session all tapes and batteries etc. used were noted. This was charged to the production. Then the office staff spent time invoicing it. Other effects were that radio studio 1 became too expensive for radio use! Crew sizes were reduced to the minimum. If you needed extra help the production had to pay. They would be charged a minimum 4 hours crew cost. Paying £100 for 30 minutes work was not popular. In the end the floor manager often put the mics on the guests. At a time when Pebble Mill was trying to save money John Birt found many ways to waste it. At great expense all staff were instructed to travel to London for a PR event. This was run by an independent company. This event was about “The New BBC”. I never went to it, but the general opinion was a total waste of time. I did go on a customer care course. This gave me vital information about how to answer the phone. Another course was about marketing. More vital information for resources staff.’

Gordon Astley: ‘I remember it was cheaper to buy albums than hire them from the BBC library. The albums then just went….well..er……??’

Ambridge’s Yorkshire beginnings

Ambridge's Yorkshire beginnings 3

This article was written by Chris Phipps for The Dalesman magazine, it is published here with his and their permission.

Additionally, Chris Phipps was also a presenter on the Pebble Mill youth series, Look! Hear! and would produce the music on the show.

The Archers – another baby for Clarrie Grundy

Pebble Mill News March 1984

The Pebble Mill News of March 1984, announces that The Archers’ Clarrie Grundy is pregnant with her second child: the baby is of course Edward Grundy! The Grundy’s first child, William was named after Prince William, and coincidentally Princess Diana was also pregnant at this time, with her second child.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing his copy of the Pebble Mill News.

News from The Archers,1984

Pebble Mill News, March 1984

This article from the Pebble Mill News, March 1984, tells how The Archers actor, Chriss Gittins, who played the character, Walter Gabriel, went to London to pick up his MBE from the Queen, waved off by the rest of the cast.

In another Archers story, there’s news of a special Nigel Pargeter inspired cocktail created by the Eddie Grundy fan club!

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing his copy of the newsletter.

Torvill and Dean at the 1984 Olympics

This article is from Pebble Mill News, March 1984. It tells how a Pebble Mill single camera crew comprising of Eric Wise, Roger Guest, Bill Youel and John Allinson, brought Torvill and Dean’s, Bolero performance to 17.5 million viewers of the Winter Olympics, when the six Yugoslav rink-side cameras gave disappointing coverage!

The second article is about Nigel Pargeter’s drinking habits in The Archers.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland, for sharing this newsletter, and keeping it safe in his loft for many years!

Here is a link to a clip on YouTube of Torvill and Dean’s gold medal winning performance. Notice that consists of just one shot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcCj0xfO3H8

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:

Stuart Gandy: ‘Wow, how amazing that Robin has still got this after all these years. Funny thing is memories come flooding back, I can remember myself and my engineering collogues standing in TAR reading that very article back in 1984 and thinking what a coup it was that a Pebble Mill team got this coverage. Good stuff.’