Famous Stourbridge clock to tick again as part of £50m town centre revamp
A commemorative clock taken down from a Black Country shopping centre ahead of a £50 million redevelopment is ticking again after being put back up.
The famous timepiece was dismantled from its plinth in the open square in Stourbridge's Crown Centre last year ahead of the knocking down of the site.
Since its removal, fears were raised it would not return and suggestions were made it could be reinstalled at a town GP practice.
But, as part of the redevelopment of the town centre and building of a Tesco store, the clock has now been reinstalled in the mall of the new complex.
The clock, which was first put up at the Crown Centre in 2005, celebrates the town's glass making and manufacturing heritage.
It has a rotating feature which swings into action on the hour, featuring a miniature worker's parade followed by a model of the famous Stourbridge Lion train.
The train was built at the Foster and Rastrick factory in Lowndes Road in Stourbridge. It was the first train to operate in the United States.
Tesco included plans to reinstall the clock in its approved planning application for the site. Spokesman Simon Petar said: "The clock is a key Stourbridge symbol and returning it to its former glory is important to us as members of the local community."
Margaret Scott, chairman of the Stourbridge Township Council, said she was delighted with the reinstatement of the clock.
The new Tesco development is entering its final stage with completion hoped before the end of the year. The store will employ more than 300 people.
