Time stands still for broken town clock

The ancient time-piece (pictured left) could cost 20,000 to fix '“ and offers to do the repair job are far from flooding in.

The Lewes town clock, attached to the church house in the High Street, has been standing at noon for almost a year '“ an embarrassment to local residents and visitors alike.

The trouble began in autumn 2003 when it became unreliable.

Town hall keeper Mick Larkin re-adjusted it but in 2004 the works seized up completely and Lewes Town Council was faced with an expensive repair job.

Cllr Ruth O'Keeffe volunteered to find ways of obtaining funding and discovered that the cost could run to 20,000 because of its specialist nature.

An application made for Heritage Lottery funding met with a positive response.

But obtaining quotes proved near impossible.

Said Cllr O'Keeffe: 'I contacted a firm which had already done work on the clock and we had a quotation from them, but all other enquiries I have made have drawn a blank.

'I have contacted nearly 20 firms and individuals. Many of them turned out to be aged in their 60s and 70s and no longer undertake tower clock work.

'After more than a year, I still only have one quotation.'

Cllr O'Keeffe explained her difficulties to the Heritage Lottery Fund which indicated that, under the circumstances, an application could be tried without three quotations.

In the meantime, a group called Lewes Association for Restoration of the Clock has been set up, and a bank account opened for any funds that can be raised.

Anyone interested in being part of the attempt to mend and restore the clock can contact Cllr O'Keeffe via Lewes Town Hall.