New clock for Bognor Regis Town Hall is approved

Planning permission and listed building consent has been given for the timepiece to be installed on the southern face of town hall’s clock tower.

The clock is the idea of Bognorian and former town councillor Ken Scutt, 84, to provide a lasting legacy of the Diamond Jubilee year.

He has offered to pay up to £2,500 towards its installation.

Mr Scutt said: “I’m so pleased the clock has been given permission. I’m looking forward to seeing it installed.”

The idea for the clock came to him back in 1973 when a party was being held on board the royal yacht Britannia to mark his final cruise as its physiotherapist after nine years.

“We were anchored off Bognor on our way to Portsmouth because we had made such good time.

“I could clearly see the town hall and it was then I realised what a good landmark it was,” he said.

It is not yet known when the clock will be installed.

The twin approvals were given by Arun District Council’s development control committee without any debate.

Town council officer Sue Holmes said the new clockface would be a matching, though slightly smaller version, of the north-facing one installed for the millennium.

“It will be installed by the same company and run off the same mechanism,” she said. “It should take a day to install the clockface.”

The new clockface will measure 1.21m in diameter and feature black roman numerals against a white background.

Arun planning officer Alex Sebbinger said: “The proposal is considered to preserve and enhance the historic character and appearance of the Grade II listed building.”