Apple FM searches for new Taunton base after hospital move

Apple FM is seeking a new base in Taunton after being told it must leave its long-standing studios at Musgrove Park Hospital.

The community radio station, which broadcasts on 97.3FM, has operated from within Musgrove Park Hospital for decades and traces its roots back to Taunton Hospital Radio, first serving patients and staff more than 55 years ago.

The move follows notification that the space currently used by the station is needed for clinical purposes, as pressures on NHS facilities continue to increase. While the decision brings to an end a long chapter in the station’s history, Apple FM says it is focused on securing a suitable alternative location to ensure broadcasts can continue without interruption.

As a volunteer-run operation, Apple FM is appealing to local businesses, organisations, community groups and property owners for help. The station is looking for at least two rooms, with a preference for a third room for technical equipment storage, in a self-contained space within Taunton that offers 24 hour access throughout the year and access to WC facilities.

Greg Perkins, managing director of the station, said: “Apple FM has been part of the fabric of Musgrove Park Hospital for generations, supporting patients, staff and the wider community. While we understand the pressures the NHS is facing, we are now reaching out to Taunton to help us secure a new base.”

A spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust added: “In response to the changing needs of patients locally and the growth in our services, we are constantly reviewing the footprint within our buildings, so we can prioritise care for patients.

“This means we now need to use the space occupied by the Apple FM studio at Musgrove Park Hospital for our expanding outpatient clinics. This is in line with us already asking some non-clinical services to relocate off the hospital site.

“We want to thank our colleagues at the much-cherished Apple FM for the service they’ve provided at Musgrove Park Hospital for over 55 years, where it started out as a hospital radio, and since 2013, as a community radio station for Taunton. We wish them all the very best in the future.”