Month: January 2026

Weald Radio Launches on DAB

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Three new DAB transmitters in West Kent have just been switched on, bringing the total number of radio stations available in Southborough in the DAB band to more than 180.

The arrival of the new DAB multiplex coincides with the launch on Monday 19th January 2026 of a new radio station, Weald Radio, which is music-focused but also features snippets of local weather, news and events.

Weald Radio says it aims to cover an area including Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. It’s also being transmitted on the nearby Ashford multiplex.

The Maidstone and West Kent Small Scale DAB multiplex uses low power transmitters, so is cheaper and more accessible for a wider range of operators.  The three West Kent DAB transmitter sites are in central Tunbridge Wells, a site near Maidstone and on the mobile mast near St Julian’s just south of Sevenoaks. 

The on-air line-up on Weald Radio includes five presenters who were previously on the local FM Community Radio station, West Kent Radio. They include the former West Kent Radio breakfast presenter, Alan Rustad (pictured below), who has now shifted to the drivetime slot on Weald Radio.


Weald Radio is run as a community-based CIC (Community Interest Company) with all income reinvested in the company. The two directors of the parent company of the station, Oast Radio CIC, are Nigel Peacock and Phil Mills.

Weald Radio will be financed by a mixture of advertising, sponsorship, and grants. The entire team is providing their knowledge and expertise at no cost.

The station says its brand is “Where Local Matters”. A weekly “Weald Discoveries” programme will highlight new and unsigned artists from across Kent, while a community spot will highlight the work of charities and good causes in the area.



Meanwhile, West Kent Radio continues to broadcast on 95.5 FM and 106.7 FM to Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Its licence to broadcast on FM ends this October, although it could apply to OFCOM to extend it.

West Kent Radio is also due to be carried on the new West Kent Small Scale DAB multiplex.

West Kent Radio was until recently carrying regular interviews with local people and news features. Those ceased in January but the station continues to produce a local live sports programme on Saturday afternoons and a Tuesday evening programme featuring new local musicians.

Around 12 hours a week of West Kent Radio’s output is currently presented live from its studios in Southborough.

The full list of DAB stations available in Southborough is available on this page:
https://southborough-news.com/dab-radio/

The full list of FM stations available in Southborough is listed here:
https://southborough-news.com/fm-radio/

More details about the new Weald Radio are found here:
http://www.wealdradio.co.uk/local-news/local-news/weald-radio-launches/

The latest schedule for West Kent Radio is listed here:
https://www.westkentradio.co.uk/on-air/

For reader information, the author of Southborough News, Martin Webber, previously provided news reports for West Kent Radio for 3 years until January 3rd 2025, when he left the voluntary role.


Water Crisis: Public Meeting on Wednesday

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A group of Tunbridge Wells residents has demanded that officials from South East Water and regulators meet the public at an event being held on Wednesday evening.

The group set up following prolonged failures of the local water supply is called “Dry Wells Action.”

Dry Wells Action’s founder, Jonathan Hawker (pictured below), wants measures to ensure the community is never again left unable to flush toilets or wash for days at a time.

Jonathan Hawker, said: “After all that it has been through, this community deserves to hear from the company itself and from those whose duty it is to hold South East Water to account. Not attending and speaking to people who’ve been so badly let down would in itself send a message of abject contempt for a community these organisations are meant to serve.”

Invitations were sent last week to the Water Minister, Emma Hardy MP; the three regulators – Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, and the Consumer Council for Water, as well as elected bodies and members.

Dry Wells Action said on Monday that so far there are no indications that SE Water or regulators will attend. Mike Martin MP is also understood to be busy at Westminster.

But the meeting will go ahead to allow residents, councillors and outside experts to discuss why the community has experienced repeated, lengthy water outages and why regulators and government have not taken enforcement action against the company.

Dry Wells Action’s website states its demands are:

  • A fully independent engineering review of the entire water supply system serving Tunbridge Wells by an outside engineering consultancy, with an honest assessment of what is failing, what needs rebuilding and what it will cost.
  •  A funded plan with timelines with a clear list of upgrades, milestones, deadlines and published progress.  
  • Investment in a future-proof water infrastructure, not temporary firefighting. 
  • A change in leadership at South East Water and effective regulation.

Dry Wells Action is grateful to the owners of the Old Auction House in Tunbridge Wells which has made the venue available to the group for free to host the event. Access is free but limited. The meeting starts promptly at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st January. Tickets are available via http://www.drywellsaction.com