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| Broadcast area | Bolton andBury |
|---|---|
| Frequency | FM: 107.4 MHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| Network | Greatest Hits Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Bauer |
| History | |
First air date | 20 March 1999 |
| Links | |
| Website | Greatest Hits Radio |
Greatest Hits Radio Bolton & Bury (formerly Tower FM) is anIndependent Local Radio station serving theBolton andBury areas ofGreater Manchester.
Following its sale to Bauer Radio, the station was closed and merged with theGreatest Hits Radio network in September 2020.
The radio station was given the nameTower as a local link to both towns in the station's coverage area;Turton Tower near to Bolton andPeel Tower on Holcombe Hill atRamsbottom near Bury.
Originally an RSL (restricted service licence) radio station, the team behind the project won the full-time licence and the station began broadcasting on 20 March 1999.
As an RSL, Tower FM broadcast from Bury via a link to the transmitter on Peel Tower. The station later moved to Bolton once the main base was established on Gaskell Street.
Both towns served as the main target service area for the station, although it could also be heard in most of Greater Manchester and even parts of Cheshire.
In early 2007, the station's then-owners approached UK media regulator OFCOM to ask permission to move the station's base from Bolton to the Haydock or Newton Le Willows area of Merseyside as part of a plan to co-locate Tower with two other stations from theUTV Media group -Wish FM in Wigan andWire FM inWarrington.
The original plan was abandoned but from the autumn of 2009, all three stations were based at studios in theOrrell area of Wigan.
On 8 February 2019, Tower FM and the Wireless Group's local radio stations were sold toBauer Radio. The sale was ratified in March 2020 following an inquiry by theCompetition and Markets Authority.[1]
On 27 May 2020, it was announced that Tower FM will join Bauer'sGreatest Hits Radio network.[2]
On 13 July 2020, local programming outside weekday breakfast was replaced by networked output from the GHR network, with Tower FM retaining its own branding.[3]
In September 2020, Tower FM merged with several local stations in the North West of England and North Wales, asGreatest Hits Radio North West. The station's local breakfast show was replaced by a regional drivetime show. Localised news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising were retained.[4] The station's Orrell studios were closed.
53°32′18″N2°41′42″W / 53.5384°N 2.6949°W /53.5384; -2.6949