An online London radio station which was planned over a pint in the pub has been voted the best in the world.
Soho Radio was launched two years ago by three friends — Finlay Morton, Adrian Meehan and Dan Gray — and broadcasts out of a building in Great Windmill Street.
It was named the world’s best internet radio station at this year’s Online Radio Awards, set up by music streaming platform Mixcloud.
Mr Morton said: “It came to life in a strange conversation in the pub one day. Adrian said, ‘I’d like to have my own radio station that doesn’t play all the rubbish on the air at the moment’ and we took it from there.
“We were all into radio and could remember what it was like before everything was playlisted and decided by committee.
“We wanted a station where a presenter could hear a song and say ‘That’s great’ and just play it.”
The station, which broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, counts restaurant critic William Sitwell, Simpsons voice actor Harry Shearer and veteran DJs Gary Crowley and Norman Jay among its presenters. It beat stations in Africa, America and the Middle East to win the award.
Presenter and music journalist Pete Paphides said: “It’s my best-case scenario of what a radio station should be — no playlist, just a load of music fans left to their own devices. It’s the only radio station that looks like a radio station from my childhood dreams.”
Mr Morton said the station came on air earlier than planned because the building they had in mind for the studio became available suddenly, forcing them to move in ahead of schedule.
He said: “It had to be in Soho because Soho is recognised throughout the world as being the artistic hub of everything. It’s been the home of the music business for years and it wouldn’t have worked the same way if it was somewhere else.”
Mr Morton — who is also a musician — said the station’s DJs are free to play what they want and say what they want as well without fear of censorship.
He added: “It’s not that we encourage swearing but you certainly would not be fired for it. ‘Radio you can swear by’ is one of our mottos.”
