Warning over digital change

South Shropshire residents are being warned that the change-over to digital TV will "hit their pockets hard" and are being urged to check a new website to see whether they will get terrestrial TV reception after the switch-over.

The warning comes from a concerned group of Liberal Democrat councillors in South Shropshire.

Councillor Heather Kidd said: "The change-over to digital in 2009/10 will hit rural areas like ours hard.

"What in practical terms it means is that many of us will have to invest in a satellite dish at a cost of about £200 for the full package.

"I would urge people to tap in their postcode to the www.digitaluk.co.uk website as soon as possible and find out."

Councillor Charles West, from Church Stretton, said: "It's not only the very rural parts of our area that are affected.

"Our hilly topography means that many quite large settlements like parts of Church Stretton and the whole of Bishop's Castle will be affected."

Councillor Kidd added: "It is only now with the advent of this website that the scale of this problem is becoming apparent.

"As a group we will be putting pressure on Government to extend terrestrial coverage. We know that a lot of very rural areas like mine are going to suffer."

This article was posted on September 17, 2007 at 7:30 am.