THE boss of Life Bar Cafe thought he was being wound up when Radio 1 said it wanted to use his venue this weekend.

The station telephoned manager Andy Rimmer in February -- but he was on holiday and one of his staff took the call. "When I got back," Andy said, "I was told Radio 1 wanted to use Life. I thought: 'Pull the other one.'

"I hear stuff like that all the time and figured it was someone who had phoned up wanting a free drink.

"As I was mocking what I thought was a false call, the phone rang again -- and it was Radio 1. It's a good job I didn't put the phone down thinking it was a joke."

Life Bar Cafe, in Nelson Square, has been turned into a Radio One studio this weekend.