"Somebody sent me a photograph of this extraordinary structure in the middle of Northampton which, as you know, is not all that close to the sea, and for some reason, it struck me as resembling a lighthouse and it struck thousands of other people as well - and it became quite a feature. People used to, I think travel to Northampton, to have a look at the lighthouse.
"They certainly would report to me whenever there was a sighting and say what a friendly old thing it was and the welcoming light and how it changed Northampton for them or their perceptions of Northampton. I don't think it was, in any sense looked upon in an architectural sense by my listeners - they're a bit too dim, and I'm not the May West myself.
"So we just took it for what it was - a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere, close to the sea that was not in fact a lighthouse at all and I'm so pleased that it's going to be preserved 'cos it ought to be. It did provoke an enormous reaction from listeners, and er quite an important part of the programme for a long time, and I still get the odd letter about it, I've seen your lighthouse - nice to know that you've made some kind of architectural mark."
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