NOSTALGIA: BBC Pebble Mill studios, Birmingham.

Kay Alexander presenting Midlands Today Kay Alexander presenting Midlands Today Countryfile presenter John Craven Countryfile presenter John Craven AS the Mercury's sister newspapers, the Birmingham Post and Mail launch a campaign calling for more BBC investment in the Midlands, we take a look at some of the great programmes made at the famous old Pebble Mill studios in Edgbaston.

The studios, which replaced earlier BBC bases in Carpenter Road, Edgbaston and Broad Street, were opened by Princess Anne on November 10, 1971 and went on to produce a host of national shows like Pebble Mill at One, the original Top Gear and Gardeners' World.

The building itself contained three studios for news, light entertainment and drama, as well as radio broadcast facilities for the local station, Radio WM, and production of long-running drama The Archers.

But by 2004 the BBC had changed the way it produced its programme and decided to close Pebble Mill and move to a smaller base at the Mailbox, in Birmingham city centre.

The John Madin-designed building was demolished and the site is being redeveloped as a new dental hospital.

Play School

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Kay Alexander presenting Midlands Today

Countryfile presenter John Craven

Nick Owen and Anne Diamond, who presented Good Morning

Pot Black Snooker Players at Pebble Mill on December 19 1984

Noel Edmonds on Telly Addicts

Spike Milligan on Jackanory in December 1970