MAY we congratulate broadcaster and journalist, Steve Lemacq on being awarded an MBE in the Kings New Year Honours List.

The 60-year-old, who hosts a Monday afternoon show on BBC Radio 6 Music, has been honoured for services to broadcasting and music venues.

Steve Lamacq has close links to Harlow. He studied journalism at Harlow College in the eighties and then went on to work for the Harlow Gazette and Citizen.

He has a special affinity for The Square music venue and was particularly added to see it demolished a few years ago.

Every years he is invited to speak at Venues Day and on nearly ever occasion, he name checks The Square and the local bands and artists who played there (Newtown Neurotics, Paul Howard to name just two) to bands who were just starting out (Coldplay in 2000).

His 2017 speech is below.