Right, last programme's finished and we've had the weather, so sip yer cocoa and let the ever reliable Margaret Prichard bid you goodnight with this closedown announcement (95Kb).

Next, the National Anthem (754Kb) rolls. Shot on the same grainy 16mm as the 80s start-ups, it provides an interesting contrast to their urban vibrancy. Here, the pastoral peace of lapping waves and idyllic scenery purveys the proud fusion of Wales and England. Hmm ... This happy routine continued throughout most of the eighties, until ...

August 1988 and HTV's "Night Club" service began in a blaze of publicity - well, there was an item about it (590Kb) on HTV Wales' evening news programme "Wales at Six". Utilising HTV's new Sony Library Management System (LMS) for automated programme delivery, the service covered both Wales and the West.

The live continuity was initially hosted by Russell Hurn, Elise Rayner, Anju Mishra.

Much was made of the fact that the new service would be high quality; not simply a repository for repeats and old films ... Here Elise Rayner introduces the 1966 Roy Castle classic, "The Intrepid Mr Twig".

The initial presenters were replaced/augmented by a number of others, four of whom can be seen here. This second wave seemed much more relaxed and a rapport began to build between the presenters and the viewers with letters, requests and dedications becoming a regular feature.

Alas, in 1992 "Night Club" went the way of other regional night operations when HTV began taking Granada's impersonal "Night Time" service. Many of the presenters still pop up on TV or radio including David Charles (left) who's enjoying a successful acting career. you can check out his website here.

Real Video versions of HTV closedowns together with some publicity photos of the original team are available in the features section.