Royal Navy helicopter landing at Pebble Mill

Photo by Keith Warrender, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Keith Warrender for sharing this photo of a Royal Navy helicopter landing on the back lawn at Pebble Mill. This dates from the late 1970s. The landing would have been part of Pebble Mill at One, and was no doubt one of John Smith’s shows, as he had very good contacts with the military.

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

David Shute: ‘I often had the job of doing Hearts & Minds visits to the neighbours when we had noisy visitors expected. Great fun.’

Julie Hill: ‘I was at Pebble Mill then and we had harrier jump jets/ parachutes and all sorts of crazy stunts landing for Pebble Mill at One! Being told not to leave the BBC Club bar whilst the Harrier landed and took off went down very well! Oh happy days….’

Saturday Night at the Mill

Photos by Robin Sunderland, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These photos are from Saturday Night at the Mill, an entertainment magazine show, from the foyer studio. It was transmitted between 1976-81. Roy Ronnie was the producer, and Roy Norton the director. Bob Langley, Donny MacLeod and Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen welcomed a variety of guests. The cameramen in the second photo are Phil Wilson and Doug Smith.

Thanks to cameraman Robin Sunderland for taking and sharing the photos.

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

Annie Gumbley: ‘I was Roy Ronnie’s Secretary & had my training for PA from Liz Silver who worked on the series. Keith Ackrill and Tricia Sadiq (Mifflin) were part of the team too. I did about about 4 or 5 series to the finish. What memories.’

Julie Hill: ‘I remember Saturday Night at The Mill! Penny Arcatinis and I were entrusted with serving the wine to the general public.’

Chris Rogers: ‘A fab show used to watch it all the time great guests, and presenters.’

Producer Choice Explained

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Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This article was published in the Midlands News, the internal newsletter, in June 1992. Roger Waugh, the Head of Resources sets out to explain the principles behind, Director General, John Birt’s ‘Producer Choice’.

‘Producer Choice’ split off the Resource departments from Production, and resulted in mass redundancies in Resources. Redundancies are hinted at in this article, but the position wasn’t clear in 1992.

Thanks for Stuart Gandy for sharing this edition of Midlands News.

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

Carolyn Davies: ‘Still commonly used in inverted commas to mean ‘complete disaster’…’

Malcolm Hickman: ‘I remember I had to establish each business units’ asset size so they could be charged. A mammoth task.’

Mark Holdstock: ‘I couldn’t decide who was the worse DG. Birt or Mark Thompson producer choice was a completely stupid idea. When they started charging for record loans, we quickly worked out that it was much cheaper to pop into town to HMV and buy the disc.’

Steve Peacock: ‘Idiotic and divisive policy. Decimated the craft base and did us producers no favours at all.’

Caroline Feldon Parsons: ‘Producer Choice. Leading to much less actual sensible choice than a producer had before it was implemented. Lovely.’

Julia Versluis: ‘Until you had to pay for a service and discover it was three times more expensive this way.’

Julie Hill: ‘I jumped ship before that hideous “initiative” was enforced. Lost out on any redundancy though!’

Vicky King: ‘I remember it well, working in HR, one of the biggest change programmes I’ve worked on.’

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Andy Payne filming on the roof

Photo by Andy Stowe, no reproduction without permission

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This photo shows cameraman, Andy Payne, filming the arrival of a harrier jump-jet at BBC Pebble Mill, from the roof of the building, for Pebble Mill at One. Andy’s great friend, Andy Stowe, was allowed up onto the roof by Security to take photos. They were accompanied by two sappers in case of any security issues!

Thanks to Andy Stowe for sharing the photo.

Andy Payne sadly died in the summer of 2016, he was a great cameraman, and a great bloke, and is sadly missed.

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

Pete Simpkin: ‘I recall no-one had told us at Local Radio that this was about to happen and as the noise got louder and louder we had to cut a live interview we were doing and play records until the dratted thing had landed!’

Julie Hill: ‘I remember it well. I was one of many “trapped” in the Pebble Mill Club (not that we minded of course) and watched it take off vertically on playing field. The whole building shook, the noise was incredible but awesome sight! There were often amazing other stunts too – who remembers the parachutists who landed all over the Bristol Road ha ha!!’

Philip Morgan: ‘I seem to recall leaning out of a fifth floor window to watch it land. What a way to spend lunchtime.’

Marie Phillips: ‘I remember that so well. I worked in Personnel on the sixth floor at the time and we watched the Harrier approach and then land. It was awesome and I can only describe the noise as making all my insides rattle !!’

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BBC Birmingham remembers Pebble Mill heritage

BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox is remembering its heritage by naming some of its meeting rooms after famous Pebble Mill programmes.

The programmes being honoured include:

Pebble Mill at One

Good Morning with Anne and Nick

Howards’ Way

Tom Coyne

If you have any logos or photos of these programmes, which might be suitable to decorate the walls of the meeting rooms, then please get in touch. Vanessa
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Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Cast and crew on Howards' Way

Cast and crew on Howards’ Way

Midlands Today presenters, Tom Coyne, back row, right.

Midlands Today presenters, Tom Coyne, back row, right.

 

 

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The following additional suggestions were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Helena Morrisey: ‘What about all the fine radio output too…? R3’s The Music Machine was a groundbreaking programme and produced at Pebble Mill.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘Not forgetting the popular local music show ‘Look Hear’. It was a big production for a local programme.’

Julie Hill: ‘Yes and what about Angels, Saturday Night at the Mill, The Clothes Show, Gardeners World, Ebony.’

Jane Clement: ‘If they name any more rooms, I would suggest The Archers. And Donny MacLeod.’

Jane Ward: ‘Midlands Radio Orchestra?’

Sue Welch: ‘Only TV? How about all the Radio 2 output and Radios 3 &4, not to mention 5?’

Bill Bohanna: ‘”Gangsters”, “Boys from the Black Stuff”, “All Creatures Great and Small” more to follow’

Mike Hayes: ‘Do not forget David Steel & Michael Hancock…’

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