1. Clocked On, Laid Off

The start of the 80s sees the worst recession since the second world war. Until now, the Stanlow Oil Refinery has been a generational employer, but over the course of just six years, half of the workforce is cut.

But what role did oil prices have in this recession? How did an industry once seen as infinite, oil, become another casualty in the UK’s industrial strategy, and how did events as far away as Kuwait, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia impact Stanlow’s antennae-like network of metal pipes and chimney stacks?

In this first episode you will hear from people who were working at Stanlow during this turning point; people who feared for their job, those who experienced a complete change of working practices, and a famous member of Margaret Thatcher’s government who gives his reasons for the decline of industry in the 80s.

Writer and Producer - George Powell

Senior Producer – Louise Clarke

Editor – Tara McDermott

Technical Producer – Craig Boardman

Artwork – Ellie Walmsley

Music – Joshua Leary

Black Gold is a Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds Audio Lab

Commissioning Editor – Khaliq Meer