A look inside the world’s first and only 24-hour pub radio
By Johnathan Elderfield
The world's only 24-hour pub radio station is based in the world-renowned Boogaloo – a pub at the top of Archway Road, just off of Highgate Underground.
A revival reminiscent of the pirate-radio days of the 1960s and 1980s.
Known as the "radio for rebels", it first went on air in 2017 and has been thriving ever since.
It was started by super-music-rebel Gerry O’Boyle, 54, who owns the pub and is also manager of Pogues front man, Shane MacGowan - the pub's former owner - who is a somewhat colourful character to say the very least.
O'Boyle's intent was to create a radio station with the vision of rebellion, something that works so well in juxtaposition to his funky drinking-hole.
“The Boogaloo pub is wicked," said pub regular Mickey Beans, 42, from Wimbledon.
"It’s the sort of place – once familiarised, you can walk in without having to organise anything and see some many friends, then there is that occasion where someone like Liam [Gallagher] or Pete [Dougherty] will appear, and you end up having a right laugh."
Highgate is without contention an affluent part of London. Placed up high on the hills, in the north of the capital, it's surrounded by beautiful parkland, Including Hampstead Heath, the largest green space in London, with Kenwood House overlooking its beauty.
Although not as big, but just as pretty, Waterlow Park is placed adjacent to the historic memorial to Karl Marx.
Currently, Boogaloo radio doesn’t profit from commercial revenue. According to Ofcom, the BBC make up 52% of listeners in the UK – along with the tens of thousands of stations that currently represent the UK airways. But after only two years on air, Boogaloo radio still has a way to go before they can start profiting from their fantastic line-up of presenters.
The show is now boasting some big names in both the music industry and show-business alike.
Just last month, Carl Barat of the band The Libertines took a slot featuring guests that included the likes The Hunna – a popular English rock band from Hertfordshire formed in 2015, and Ian Lamara – a creative director who’s worked globally in both television and music.
Peggy's-Daylight-Rockery: a ‘go-to-guide to the latest post-punk, grunge, rock’n’roll, new-wave and indie-kid-music’, thinks that the Boogaloo rocks.
“A family of glorious wrogens, all with insane stories to tell, who live and breathe music. You don’t just turn up, do your show and leave. We all help each other in our lives working and personal and are always up for a bevvy,” said Laura Pegler, 23 and from Royal Oak, who writes the guide.
The History of the Boogaloo pub is as illustrious as any. The pub has opened its doors to some of most influential stars from across the globe including, Johnny Depp.
Someone who might be familiar to you – especially if you were fortunate enough to have grown up in the 1970s, is US actor David Soul of Starsky and Hutch fame. Every Sunday after Peggy’s-Daylight-Rockery, he takes reign with his show that takes his audience back to a time of golden-age in music.
The radio is becoming very popular, listeners around the world tune in for their favourite presenters like Alan McGee – the man who signed Oasis to Creation records back in the 90s’.
Boogaloo is a must listen if music is a passion; the station has an eclectic line-up and offers a very different vibe from casual radio listening.