We’ve all made a drunken text or message that in the morning we’ve regretted, for Mark Jones a drunken reply to a Facebook post from WBR calling for volunteers was not one he regrets. The DJ and all-round Whitstable man tells CommunityAd “it’s been great to see the station grow”.
Mark Jones hosts a live show on the community radio station every Friday 10am – 12 that can be enjoyed can be heard via the website and on apps such as Radio Garden. “I like to keep things upbeat with a wide variety of tracks from the last five decades accompanied by some humour and the odd comment on national news. I normally throw in a sarcastic weather update too”.
CommunityAd had the pleasure of a chat with Whitstable Bay Radio’s Mark Jones on a fine August afternoon… That was sarcastic, it was grey and drizzly but Mark was upbeat and jovial.
What do you enjoy most about the show and the radio itself?
It’s a real enjoyable couple of hours. I’m lucky enough to be able to use my own playlist. It is something which I have been thinking of doing for years but never had the courage. Of course, that all changed after a lovely afternoon in The Ship Centurion & Whitstable British Legion in town. So any long-suffering listeners can blame those two wonderful establishments.
Why do you think a radio station within our community is so important?
A community station really gives residents and local business an opportunity to have their voices heard in our location. We’re very happy to promote events in Whitstable and the surrounding area. Businesses can also advertise to potential customers via the station. If any local company fancies sponsoring the show, give us a shout. Cheers.
If you had to self-isolate tomorrow and could pick only three singles to take with you into isolation what would they be and why?
Ironically, the first one would be Sweet Freedom by Michael McDonald. It was part of the soundtrack to the ’86 film Running Scared. The song reminds me of the video where the actors Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines clearly had a great time.
The second is Rockin All Over The World by Status Quo. It was the song that kicked off the iconic Live Aid in 1985 and it reminds me of that superb day.
Third is Fantastic Day by Haircut 100. Upbeat and always puts me in a proper good mood.
We’ve got a bit of a thriving music scene here in Whitstable, are there any bands you think we should be listening out for?
We’ve played tracks from local band The Fools Horses which seems to be popular with listeners. If any local bands want to get involved with WBR, please get in touch with us to see how we can help.
How long have you lived here in Whitstable? What makes it such a charming community to be a part of?
I’ve been here 16 years. What an amazing place to live. We are lucky to have so many bars and restaurants on our doorstep and being able to visit the beach on a regular basis. It’s always good to visit local shops and getting to know the staff who do such a good job in our community.
Everybody at WBR really appreciates the support our listeners have given. It’s a pleasure being involved. Thank you all.