Bridgwater's historic Eastover Clock set to be reinstated
The clock was gifted to the town by British Cellophane Ltd in the 1960s
One of Bridgwater's familiar landmarks looks set to take pride of place once again, thanks to a partnership between Somerset Council and Bridgwater Town Council.
The Eastover Clock, as it is known locally, was a gift to the town from one-time major Bridgwater employer British Cellophane Ltd in the early 1960s.
It stood on Broadway, close to the site of the Mercure Hotel, but was taken down due to safety concerns around the severe deterioration of the concrete column it was mounted on.
Since then, it has been kept in storage, and Somerset Council is now working in partnership with Bridgwater Town Council to get the clock reinstated in the town, after identifying external funding for the scheme.
Teams from both councils are working together on the project, with the Town Council funding and commissioning the clock's repair, while Somerset Council handles the reinstatement of the structure in an agreed location.
A new column structure will be needed to mount the clock, with a number of options being explored with future maintenance and lifespan in mind.
Somerset Council Leader, Councillor Bill Revans, said the authority is "thrilled to be able to make this happen after we identified external funding which can be used to get the clock back in situ".
"I know how much this clock means to the people of Bridgwater. My father Peter Revans was a Works Engineer at British Cellophane for many years and the recognition of the major contribution this employer made to the town is an important part of our heritage," Cllr Revans said.
"We have spoken to numerous businesses in the town in recent months and there is a real desire to see the clock return," he said.
"The exact location is yet to be decided and our team will work with local stakeholders over the coming weeks to establish this," Cllr Revans said.
Councillor Jacqui Solomon, Bridgwater Town Council's Eastover Ward Councillor, described the clock, which she has "always known" as the Cellophane Clock, as "a much-loved part of Bridgwater's heritage".
"Over the years, many residents have told us they would like to see it returned to public display. It was a valued local landmark and something I regularly referred to, both as a child and as an adult," Cllr Solomon said.
"With the right location, it can once again become a familiar and valued feature of the town. It is important that any new home respects the clock's heritage, provides a sustainable future for its maintenance and wherever possible, returns it to the area people most closely associate with it," she said.
"Bridgwater Town Council is pleased to support the restoration and sympathetic modernisation of the clock, helping to ensure it continues to serve the town for many years to come while preserving an important part of our local history," Cllr Solomon said.
"It has always been on my agenda to see the clock reinstated and I welcome this joint project. I look forward to seeing it become a feature of Eastover once again," she said.
The project teams will now work with partners on the next steps, with the clock's former location under consideration.