After 50 years broadcasting from its original home in Kiltonga, Bauer Audio Northern Ireland has marked the end of an era in fitting style, taking the show on the road.
To celebrate the move to its new headquarters in City Quays, Cool FM’s Breakfast Show, hosted by Pete Snodden, Paulo Ross and Rebecca McKinney, broadcast the move live on air from the iconic Cool bus, travelling from its long-standing base at Kiltonga (Newtownards) to the station’s stunning new city-centre base.
The live roadshow held special significance for the station, marking Bauer Audio NI’s final ever broadcast from Kiltonga, the site that has been home to generations of presenters, producers, journalists, and the backdrop to some of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable radio moments over the past five decades.
Listeners tuned in as the breakfast crew swapped the studio walls for a set of wheels, sharing live updates, behind the scenes moments and plenty of on-air banter as they journeyed into Belfast, bringing the audience along for a historic final send-off.
Their red-carpet arrival at City Quays, officially unlocked the next chapter for Cool FM, Downtown Radio and Downtown Country in the heart of the city. The move signals a significant investment in the future of broadcasting in Northern Ireland, placing Bauer Audio NI at the centre of the region’s growing media and business district.
Stuart Robinson said:
“This was a real landmark moment for radio in Northern Ireland. After 50 years at Kiltonga, closing the door on our final broadcast there was bittersweet, but arriving at City Quays marked the start of something incredibly exciting for all of us.”
Pete Snodden added:
“Broadcasting the move live from the bus, was as chaotic as you’d imagine – we’re used to giving the traffic and travel updates – not stuck in the middle of them!
“Saying goodbye to Kiltonga was a big moment for all of us, but pulling up at City Quays, mics still live, really felt like the start of a new adventure. Same breakfast show, same brilliant craic, just with a simply stunning view.”