1106 GMT, Thursday 12 July – the end of an era. That’s when Bush House, home to BBC World Service for the last 70 years, will cease to be its home, the place from where the strains of Lilliburlero have been broadcast on the global English-language service to listeners around the world on the hour, every hour.
The final broadcast will be an English-language news bulletin starting after the 1100GMT time signal. Then, as the transmission light goes out for the last time, the final members of staff will decamp to the brand new extension to Broadcasting House a couple of miles away from Bush where the rest of the World Service is now located.
And if you’re hungry for a piece of nostalgia – or need a good, albeit heavily-used, radio studio, you can bid on the first phase of the technical equipment that World Service is leaving behind. An online auction is being run that will see all the broadcasting kit, plus a good deal of somewhat scuffed office furniture as well as a couple of pianos, disposed of.
Take a look at The Guardian‘s pictorial tribute to Bush House, and take a trip down memory lane on the Bush House Memories Facebook group.
And from everyone at the AIB who has worked at Bush, we say thank you for having us and farewell.