Radio Room

At about the same time, it was decided to move the island's radio transmitter from the Old Light, where it had been since 1930, and a good home for it was the now empty hotel generator room, which thus became the Radio Room.

Soon after Landmark took over, a modern radiotelephone was installed in the office over the tavern. The Radio Room was abandoned once again and so, soon afterwards, was the Fridge Room, when new refrigerators were installed behind the Tavern. As part of the restoration of the old hotel buildings in 1982-3, therefore, both Fridge and Radio were fitted out as basic extra bedrooms, the latter still with the old Naval transmitter in one corner. In 1990, the two were combined to provide a self-contained dwelling for one person, similar to Old Light East and prompted, like Old Light East, by the closure of Millcombe as a hotel.

It is extraordinary now to look back and think that until then, every day at 9 o’clock and at 4 o'clock, Mr Gade had walked to the lighthouse and radioed to the coast guards at Hartland Point to let them know all was well on the island and to make food orders. This was Lundy's only contact with the mainland and the coast guards became invaluable friends to the islanders. But it became increasingly difficult for Mr Gade as he grew older to make this twice-daily trip in all weathers, so it was a great relief for him when the transmitter was moved down to the hotel.