Neon Static And The Commons: A 1939 Story

When Radio Met Neon in Parliament

Strange but true: in June 1939, just months before Britain plunged into war, MPs in Westminster were arguing about neon signs.

Labour firebrand Gallacher, demanded answers from the Postmaster-General. Were neon installations scrambling the airwaves?

The answer was astonishing for the time: around a thousand complaints in 1938 alone.

Imagine it: listeners straining to catch news bulletins, drowned out by the hum of glowing adverts on the high street.

Major Tryon confessed the problem was real. The difficulty?: there was no law compelling interference suppression.

He promised consultations were underway, but warned the issue touched too many interests.

In plain English: no fix any time soon.

The MP wasn’t satisfied. People were paying licence fees, he argued, and they deserved a clear signal.

From the backbenches came another jab. What about the Central Electricity Board and their high-tension cables?

The Minister squirmed, saying yes, cables were part of the mess, which only complicated things further.

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Looking back now, this debate is almost poetic. Back then, neon was the tech menace keeping people up at night.

Jump ahead eight decades and the roles have flipped: the menace of 1939 is now the endangered beauty of 2025.

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So what’s the takeaway?

First: neon has always rattled cages. From crashing radios to clashing with LED, it’s always been about authenticity vs convenience.

In truth, it’s been art all along.

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Here’s the kicker. When we look at that 1939 Hansard record, we don’t just see dusty MPs moaning about static.

So, LED neon signs London yes, old is gold. And it always will.

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Forget the fake LED strips. Glass and gas are the original and the best.

If neon could jam the nation’s radios in 1939, it can sure as hell light your lounge, office, or storefront in 2025.

Choose bright Glow london.

Smithers has it.

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