Hoover and Radio 2.

In the 1980s, Hoover were in trouble. They had two UK factories – one in Perivale, West London and one in South Wales. The Perivale factory was successful and profitable but the one in South Wales was a nightmare. The workforce were always on strike and the whole plant was haemorrhaging cash. Hoover couldn’t afford to keep both open so they closed the successful Perivale plant. Hundreds of Londoners lost their jobs, even though their colleagues in South Wales were the problem. Hoover’s reason? They couldn’t be seen to close a factory in an unemployment blackspot. Simon Mayo had a hugely successful drivetime show on Radio 2 until the BBC lumbered him with Jo Whiley as co-presenter. The show was a disaster and haemorrhaged listeners. Simon Mayo is now leaving Radio 2. Jo Whiley is to be given yet another new show. So on his last programme, I do hope he plays this.