Following our successful trial broadcast back in 1998 and follow up research, Rugby FM won the advertised licence for Rugby and we are proud to say that Rugby FM went live at 10am on Saturday 31 August 2002, becoming Rugby's permanent local commercial radio station.

From our studios based in Spring Street, Rugby, we play great music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and the best of today.

We provide a dedicated local news, sport and information service for the Rugby area.

Our signal reaches as far as Daventry, Coventry, Lutterworth, Southam, but our service puts RUGBY first!

Rugby FM is part of the Milestone Group. Other investors include: CN Group, Hinckley and Rugby Building Society and Coventry Evening Newspapers.


August 2002

Prior to launch Rugby FM hosts a roadshow at the Rugby Advertiser Car Show (17th).
Rugby FM launches on 31st August at 10am with Simple Minds ‘Alive and Kicking’ chosen by newspaper competition winner Steve Fowley. The day continues with a roadshow in Rugby Town Centre. Our mascot - The Rugby FM Red Rhino takes to the streets for the first time.

September 2002

A massive marketing campaign with buses, 48 sheets, a wrap on the Observer, local sports club sponsorship and merchandise gets underway in the local area. Rugby FM’s DJ for a Day takes to the air in Trevor Thomas’ Breakfast show.

October 2002

The first series of the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Challenge schools quiz is broadcast.

November 2002

Polly Garside opens the PDSA store in Rugby High Street. Dave Barker hosts the Town Centre Christmas lights switch on. Rugby FM’s launch competition the Carvells Codecracker is won by Pete Gunton Jones after 70 contestants battle out the live final at Bar Med in Rugby’s High Street.

December 2002

Rugby FM works with Sainsbury’s with Virtual Christmas Crackers with three �500 winners in the run up to Christmas.

January 2003

Dale Collins launches his Breakfast show on the station. We start the year with a competition with the Ken Marriot Leisure Centre with fitness prizes and an annual membership as top prize. The Red Rhino makes a guest appearance in Robinson Crusoe - Rugby Theatre’s Pantomime.

February 2003

The final of the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Challenge was recorded at the Benn Hall. In a keenly contested final, Lawrence Sheriff School triumphed over Rugby School.

Number Ten Bowling Centre launches a new Friday night live programme - The X Factor with Steve Dennis. Meanwhile, The Rugby FM Red Rhino came last in his heat of the Rugby Lions Pancake Race! Two lucky Rugby FM listeners won tickets to the BRIT Awards in London. Lianna Lawrence broadcast the Daytime show live for half-term week from the Clock Towers Shopping Centre.

March 2003

18 exhibitors and over 100 people attended Rugby FM’s first Wedding Fair at the Rugby Lions. Rugby FM’s first advertiser party was held at Number Ten Bowling Centre with Trevor Scott from the Rugby Kitchen Factory winning top prize.

April 2003

Listeners were hoaxed by Dale Collins on April 1st when we reported that Draycote Water was drained and the ancient village of Draycotonia was visible.

Martin Mumford interviewed Martin Johnson, England Rugby Captain at the Rugby Advertiser Business Awards. Rugby FM celebrated winning Millennium Newcomer of the Year.

Rugby FM worked with Sainsbury’s to uncover the Top 100 Most Wanted of All Time.
We reported live from the Clock Towers Shopping Centre on St George’s Day as part of the Town Centre Company event and for a Charity Auction.

May 2003

Newmans sponsored Rugby FM’s first big roadshow of the year at the Round Table Spring Fair. Unknown act The Fast Food Rockers appeared live and a few weeks later were at the top of the charts with the Fast Food Song.
Lucky Lee Graham won a �500 shopping spree at the Clock Towers Shopping Centre after tracking down a Giant Golden Easter Egg hidden at the centre over Easter.

June 2003

Stuart and Tracey Gould were big winners of a �5,000 bathroom in the Gallery Competition broadcast live from Melbros in Great Central Way. The sound stage was back at Whitehall Recreation Ground for the Youth Offending Team Fun Day and Mike Apps broadcast Daytime live from the French Market in the Town Centre (12th)

July 2003

Rugby FM reported live from the ACU Sheen Run (6th). Dale Collins Daytime show was live from X-Plicit in the Clock Towers (26th).

August 2003

The staff and directors celebrated a year on air with a party at the Ansty Hall Hotel (29th).
Dave Barker hosted the Rugby FM sound stage at the launch of Warwickshire College (30th).

September 2003

Rugby FM celebrated one year on air with the Birthday Prize Parade sponsored by Zoom Racing, Daventry - a series of 107 questions stretched over the month. The winner of �1,071 cash was John Edwards from Long Lawford.

Our religious producers travelled to London for the Jerusalem Awards after being shortlisted in the Easter on ILR awards. Mike Apps broadcast Daytime live for the Launch of Rugby Forward at Rugby Library (25th)

October 2003

The Highlight of the month was the Undiscovered Youth Talent Show at Rugby Theatre. 16 young performers and groups took to the stage. The near sell out audience saw Dance Group Black and White and Singer Stacey Mushing win top prizes. The event raised �1,000 for the Air Ambulance and Rugby Theatre. Two new programmes to the Rugby FM schedule brought two new DJ’s to Rugby FM: Mark Goodier presenting the Smash Hits Chart and Pat Sharp presenting Totally 80’s on Sunday afternoons.

November 2003

Rugby FM’s Traffic Reporting super hero - Ace Ryder complete with costume took to the streets of Rugby for the first time and was an instant hit with listeners.

Rugby FM played a major part in the organisation of the Community Day and the Town Centre Xmas Lights switch on in Rugby Town Centre. The headline act was the Fast Food Rockers returning to Rugby for the first time since May.

The live final of the MCR DVD Doubleplay Competition took place at the Motorist Centre on November 6th with Andy Curtis scooping the top prize of a fully fitted DVD system.

Martin Mumford reported live from the Walkabout Bar for the semi final and final of the Rugby World Cup and was almost in tears as England won in extra time.

December 2003

The month started with a flurry of outside broadcasts, in addition to the regular X Factor programme broadcast live from Number Ten Bowling Centre on a Friday evening (back for a 13 week run from 31 October), Dale Collins Saturday Daytime Show (6 Dec) was broadcast live from a temporary Ice Rink outside the John Barford Car park sponsored by the Town Centre Company and Mike Apps helped the Ken Marriot Leisure Centre celebrate 30 years in the Town with a live Daytime Show (8th).

Two big promotions culminated on the 20th when Arndrea Bennett from Hillmorton won �1,000 to spend in Rugby Town Centre after tracking down the Town Centre Company’s Giant Christmas Cracker and Bev Bird won a new TV and DVD system from Tesco in Rugby and Daventry after being one of 40 winners in Tesco’s Helpful Little Elves promotion.

The month ended with two special programmes, Reflections at Christmas produced by the CHAD Media Trust (25th) and The Rugby FM News Review of the Year presented by Head of News, Lesley Cowper (31st).
December also saw Rugby FM’s first on-air Charity Auction with 50 lots auctioned during the day raising over �3,500 for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. The star lots included Helicopter lessons which sold for �685 and �500 and a signed Leicester Tigers Shirt which sold for �460.

January 2004

Rugby FM came to the forefront of the community when a couple of inches of snow brought Rugby to a standstill. Rugby FM was the station of choice for those stuck in the snow. Dave Barker extended his Drivetime show by two hours to keep stranded listeners company.
Rugby FM's first official audience figures were published showing 41% of the area tuned in every week, making the station one of the top stations in the survey by audience reach.

February 2004

For a second year, Rugby FM sent two lucky listeners to the Brit Awards and this year, Rugby FM was one of the top stations to attract votes from participating stations so Dale Collins and Lesley Cowper were also able to enjoy the ceremony. Rugby FM's second Wedding Exhibition held at the Holiday Inn, Rugby/Northampton attracts over 40 exhibitors and nearly 200 brides to be. The Red Rhino is in action on Valentines Day delivering roses to unsuspecting listeners nominated by their secret admirers. Rugby FM attends the Grand Opening of Wickes on Elliotts Field Retail Park with the live grand final of a competition to win �1,000.

March 2004

Rugby High School emerge victorious in the second series of the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society Challenge beating Harris School in the final. The Golden Easter Egg Challenge with the Clock Towers Shopping Centre is back for a second year with a �500 top prize. Rugby FM's second advertisers party takes place at VS Bar with a fun 'pub quiz'.

April 2004

Rugby FM reports that Rugby is to lose it's area telephone call - hundreds are taken in by the April Fool hoax!