View source for 2BR

{{Short description|Former radio station in Lancashire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox radio station
| logo             = File:2BR logo as of May 2016.png
| format           = [[Adult Contemporary]]
| power            =
| class            = 
| owner            = [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]]
| name             = 2BR
| city             = [[Clayton-le-Moors]]
| area             = East and Central [[Lancashire]]
| branding         = 
| airdate          = 25 July 2000
| last_airdate     = 29 March 2019
| frequency        = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]:<br>96.3 MHz<br>99.8 MHz<br>106.5 MHz<br>107.0 [[megahertz|MHz]]<br />[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 12A
| erp              = 
| callsign_meaning = 
| sister_stations  = 
| website          = [http://www.2br.co.uk/ 2br.co.uk] 
}}

'''Two Boroughs Radio''' (known on air as '''2BR''') was an [[Independent Local Radio]] station serving East and Central [[Lancashire]], England. It was owned and operated by [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]] and broadcast from studios at [[Clayton-le-Moors]] near [[Accrington]].

2BR was merged with [[Capital Manchester]] and relaunched as part of the [[Capital (radio network)|Capital]] radio network on 8 April 2019.

==History==
[[File:Two Boroughs Radio (radio station) logo.png|thumb|2BR logo used until May 2016]]
2BR launched on 25 July 2000, serving the [[Burnley]], [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]] and [[Hyndburn]] areas from studios at the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in [[Nelson, Lancashire|Nelson]] with its transmitter located on [[Pendle Hill]] in [[Newchurch in Pendle]], near [[Fence, Lancashire|Fence]].

A common misunderstanding is that the station's name originally referred to the "BB" postcodes of [[Burnley (borough)|Burnley]], [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]] & [[Hyndburn]].  This is incorrect.  2BR simply stood for Two Boroughs Radio.  Whilst the name 'Two Boroughs Radio - 2BR' was used on the three trial broadcasts (1997 and 1998), 'Two Boroughs Radio' was dropped upon the full-time launch.

Broadcasting stations in the United Kingdom do not use callsigns, but as "2" is a prefix assigned by the [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]] to callsigns in Great Britain, 2BR is technically a valid radio callsign.

In August 2010, the station moved to new studios at [[Clayton-le-Moors]], co-locating with [[The Bee (radio station)|The Bee]].

On 4 April 2016, UKRD announced 2BR would merge with sister Lancashire station The Bee as part of an expansion onto DAB across the county. The merged station carried the same 2BR programming and identity, alongside opt-outs for local news, traffic and advertising in the Burnley, Blackburn and Preston & Chorley areas.<ref>[http://radiotoday.co.uk/2016/04/2br-to-merge-with-the-bee-and-expand-on-dab/ 2BR to merge with The Bee and expand on DAB], Radio Today, 4 April 2016</ref> DAB transmissions, via the Lancashire multiplex, commenced on Wednesday 1 June 2016.

On 31 July 2018, Global Radio announced it had bought 2BR from UKRD.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2018/07/global-to-extend-into-lancashire-after-buying-2br/ Global expands in Lancashire after buying 2BR], RadioToday, 31 July 2018</ref> The sale followed Global's acquisition of another Lancashire station, ''The Bay'', which relaunched as [[Heart North Lancashire & Cumbria]] in March 2018.

===Closure===
On 26 February 2019, Global confirmed 2BR would be relaunched as Capital Lancashire and form part of the [[Capital (radio network)|Capital]] radio network on 8 April 2019.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/02/lancashires-2br-to-join-capitals-new-national-radio-network/ Lancashire’s 2BR to join Capital’s new national radio network], RadioToday, 26 February 2019</ref> The station was merged with [[Capital Manchester|Capital's Manchester station]].

2BR ceased broadcasting at 7pm on Friday 29 March 2019, with the station entering a transition period ahead of the full relaunch as Capital.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/03/ofcom-approves-2brs-upcoming-change-to-capital/ Ofcom approves 2BR’s upcoming change to Capital], RadioToday, 19 March 2019</ref> The station's studios at Clayton-le-Moors closed with operations moving to Manchester. The final song played on the station was ''[[Unwritten (song)|Unwritten]]'' by [[Natasha Bedingfield]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2BR sold to.... Yup Global.. - Page 11 |url=https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/comment/93138272/#Comment_93138272 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=30 March 2019}}</ref>

Local output for Greater Manchester and Lancashire consists of a three-hour regional Drivetime show on weekdays, alongside localised news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/02/lancashires-2br-to-join-capitals-new-national-radio-network/ Lancashire’s 2BR to join Capital’s new national radio network], RadioToday, 26 February 2019</ref> Separate local news services are produced for the Blackburn & Preston and Burnley & Pendle areas.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/03/ofcom-approves-2brs-upcoming-change-to-capital/ Ofcom approves 2BR’s upcoming change to Capital], RadioToday, 19 March 2019</ref>

==Frequencies==
* 96.3 FM: [[Chorley]]
* 99.8 FM: [[Burnley]], [[Borough of Pendle|Pendle]] and [[Hyndburn]]
* 106.5 FM: [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and [[South Ribble]]
* 107 FM: [[Blackburn]], [[Darwen]] and [[Accrington]]<ref group="Note">Both 99.8 FM and 107 FM work in Accrington.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Bee grows bigger with 3rd frequency|url=http://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/10/the-bee-grows-bigger-with-3rd-frequency/|publisher=Radio Today|access-date=2 May 2014}}</ref>

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.2br.co.uk/}}
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/pendle-forest.php Pendle Forest Transmitter]

== References ==
4. Two Boroughs Radio Ltd<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/1831914Z:LN-two-boroughs-radio-ltd|title=Two Boroughs Radio Ltd: Company Profile|access-date=14 April 2017}}</ref>

{{reflist}}
{{reflist|group="Note"}}

{{Global Radio}}
{{Borough of Hyndburn culture}}
{{Borough of Burnley culture}}
{{Borough of Pendle culture}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2br}}
[[Category:Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Lancashire]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 2000]]
[[Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2019]]
[[Category:The Local Radio Company]]
[[Category:Mass media in Hyndburn]]
[[Category:Mass media in Burnley]]
[[Category:Mass media in the Borough of Pendle]]