Llanwern site planned for Newport's Festival Clock

9:00am Tuesday 28th August 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By David Deans, Reporter

The Festival Clock in John Frost Square in 2004 The Festival Clock in John Frost Square in 2004

COULD Llanwern be the final resting place of the much loved and iconic Newport Festival Clock?

Proposals are in with Newport Council 's planning department for the clock to be erected on a roundabout on the Queensway road, near the new Glan Llyn development.

However the planning application suggests the clock would not be the spectacle that crowds used to flock to before it was removed from the city centre..

A document filed with the application said the clock would be positioned on the former access roundabout for the steelworks.

It would not open "thus removing any distraction to drivers," the document said, but the clock faces on both sides would operate.

"The clock is to be sited in an area of change and will reflect the evolving character of the area," the document read.

Last year a campaign was mounted to oppose plans to scrap the Festival Clock, but in the end the council continued to keep it in storage at the cost of £8,000 a year.

Martyn Kellaway, Conservative city councillor for Llanwern, hadn't seen the plans, asked why a "broken clock" would be placed at Glan Llyn.

He said the clock has been fascinating to watch: "Why not keep it in Newport to form part of that area they are trying to develop?"

But Allan Morris, Labour Lliswerry city councillor, welcomed the proposal: "I would rather see it enjoyed than see it chucked in a cupboard."

Charles Ferris, Conservative city councillor for Allt-Yr-Yn, said: "It think its a good idea. It was costing them a lot of money to keep it in storage.."

Originally commissioned to represent Newport at the Ebbw Vale Garden Festival in 1992, the extraordinary clock delighted on lookers with characters popping out of it every hour.

It later found a home in John Frost Square but was removed and went into storage in 2006 for the city centre redevelopment.

Queensway is currently being upgraded by the Welsh Government into the dual carriageway Eastern Distributor Road to link to the M4.

The planning application will be decided by officers in the coming weeks.

A senior Labour councillor said he is dubious that the clock can be fully repaired to its original state.

Ken Critchley, cabinet member for infrastructure, said the council is seriously considering placing the clock on the roundabout as an option for its future.

It is thought it needs at least £50,000 in repairs.

Cllr Critchley, is responsible for the Streetscene department that has made the planning application, said: "Many of the parts have eroded and there's a high maintenance cost of that type of assembly."

Asked when the clock could be re-erected, he said much of that rests with the partners involved, such as Glan Llyn developer St Modwen and the Welsh Government.

Comments(32)

wilkolima says...
9:29am Tue 28 Aug 12

Site the clock on a Queensway roundabout? Does anyone at NCC read the Argus? How many more traffic accidents would this cause as a visual distraction to drivers whether the clock were puffing out steam or not? That is if it stood more than a week before the local vandals or scrap metal pirates got at it.

As a relatively well-known feature of Newport which city dwellers and visitors alike once travelled to John Frost Square to see, surely its natural home is the city centre? I am sure that many people in the west of Newport have just, relevant and cutting opinions about how much development has taken and is taking place in the east of the city much to the detriment of the more equitable retail and leisure services they once enjoyed too. For the sake of equanimity, as well as aesthetic balance, why not place the clock on the river bank (perhaps opposite The Wave)? Or perhaps on Gilligan's Island if a positive sign of or plea for development were needed?

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flud says...
9:42am Tue 28 Aug 12

it should be returned to festival park where it's real home is

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Dai the Milk says...
10:01am Tue 28 Aug 12

This is just cheap and tacky, much like the rest of Newport town (it is never a city). The centre needs millions spent on it to bring it up to the standard of other real cities.

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Severn40 says...
10:47am Tue 28 Aug 12

Agree with Dai - the clock is tacky and has very little merit. It would deteriorate fairly quickly on the roundabout and would soon become an eyesore. It would be better scrapped.

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WhyWorry says...
11:12am Tue 28 Aug 12

Why not put it in Rodney Parade everything else is going there.

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Dai the Milk says...
2:12pm Tue 28 Aug 12

WhyWorry wrote:
Why not put it in Rodney Parade everything else is going there.
He he he.........at least then there would be no excuse for too much extra time.

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s weaver says...
3:02pm Tue 28 Aug 12

I would love to see the clock back in john frost square. some of us can,t get to out of town locations.

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larneman says...
7:01pm Tue 28 Aug 12

I remember being taken to see the clock when I came home for a holiday with my Wife. We were both facsinated by it and thought what a great idea for tourism. We also noticed some silly looking statues and a big daft looking anchor thing. Why is it that when Newport has something to brighten it up the council can't wait to get rid of it. Who votes for these clowns. Wake up Newport voters and take note of who is doing what on your council then vote with your feet.OK so I don't live there anymore but Newport is still close to my heart and I hate to see it being ruined by don't give a sh1t councillors

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rightsideup says...
9:59pm Tue 28 Aug 12

Won't have to wait for too long before it's vandalised!.....

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Dee-Gee says...
11:54pm Tue 28 Aug 12

Why on earth would you take something designed to be enjoyed by pedestrians and stick it on a bloody roundabout?

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broadsworddan says...
12:00am Wed 29 Aug 12

Fifty grand is well worth it to have it repaired and returned to the city centre to compliment the new friars walk development. The moral and character it would bring to a revamped shopping area would be worth four times that. Anyway, fifty grand for a unique and fascinating piece of public art is a bargain. The wave cost nearly twice that twenty years ago. Get it mended and put back where it belongs!

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broadsworddan says...
12:01am Wed 29 Aug 12

I meant morale

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smokintheweed says...
1:08am Wed 29 Aug 12

Give the clock the birch and then hang it!!!!!!! I nominate rhinestine to punish the heathen timepiece!!!!

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Matty639 says...
3:23pm Wed 29 Aug 12

Is it just me that thinks it's an eye sore and should just be weighed in?

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ThisisMaindeewithtwoees says...
3:51pm Wed 29 Aug 12

GIve the people what they want. The clock in complete working order, in a central place, with space around it to stand or sit to enjoy the spectacle. GIve the people what they want. Nearby businesses will benefit too, from the increased passing trade.

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swats123 says...
5:38pm Wed 29 Aug 12

There should be a museum down by the Transporter Bridge which could hold the ship and such items as the clock, at least then there would be no need for expensive repairs as it would be inside and people could still see it. Newport CC needs to make the most of what we have and try to encourage people to Newport

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brian819@btinternet.com says...
4:26am Thu 30 Aug 12

This item isn't a museum piece it needs a central and viewable position giving the public easy access. This means only one place and that is as near to town centre as possible equivalent to its original position.
It is an attraction and anyone who used to use the cafe in the town museum could have an excellant close-up sight of the clock from its windows.
The number of families I have seen from those windows sitting on the low brick wall in front of the clock, the children enjoying themselves,often eating a sandwich waiting for the clock to open was heart-warming.
Put the clock back where it will do the most good. Any councillor who thinks that it ought to be on some roundabout must have rocks in their head.

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Dee-Gee says...
8:41am Thu 30 Aug 12

Fifty grand is cheap as chips (hot from Vicara, eaten under the trees, watching the clock) for such an iconic artwork. It's seven years storage fees, think of it as an investment.

There must be arts grants out there that could help with the cost and help find the expertise for the repairs?

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jameshargreaves says...
1:52pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Just scrap it and move on look ahead newport i used to be prud to live here

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jameshargreaves says...
1:52pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Just scrap it and move on look ahead newport i used to be proud to live here

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high x boy says...
3:22pm Thu 30 Aug 12

in the city centre or nowhere

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Lastpost says...
3:54pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Put it by our futuristic railway station where Newport City councillors can see it every working day. It will remind them how much time they have wasted in failing to regenerate Newport City centre. Perhaps they could hang a Ryder Cup Host City flag on it or, more befitting, put up a 'To Let' sign on it.

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Dick Exile says...
5:09pm Thu 30 Aug 12

It's a plastic looking monstrosity. All the dribbling people who've torn themselves away from daytime TV stop when the bell sounds and stare at it - it's like a scene from The Prisoner. I wish Newport would celebrate the history of the town, instead of removing it (for example, the Chartist mosaic)...is the history of John Frost not more important and interesting than this ridiculous clock!??

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Bill Payer says...
6:35pm Thu 30 Aug 12

I love this clock and I think it should be restored and put back in central Newport as a draw for tourists, we need all the help we can get and I saw many nationalities come to look at and photograph our "Nick of Time" when it was up and running in John Frost Square. I don’t have a lot of money but I am willing to put something into a Save our Clock fund, if other Newportonians will do the same.

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Bobevans says...
8:19pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Another daft brainwave by our local councilor .

The clock should return toNewport town centre. It may not be the greatest thing but it did draw the crowds

How can having it on a roundabout be sensible? I assume if they put it there it will not be working or it could potentially cause accidents

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digispamman says...
8:28pm Thu 30 Aug 12

what happened to the dogs mess article?

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welshmen says...
4:43pm Fri 31 Aug 12

After are Council have repaired the Transporter Bridge where are they going to put that? answers on a post card to Cllr Critchly.

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welshmen says...
4:44pm Fri 31 Aug 12

After the Council have repaired the Transporter Bridge where are they going to put that? answers on a post card to Cllr Critchly.

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welshmen says...
4:44pm Fri 31 Aug 12

After the Council have repaired the Transporter Bridge where are they going to put that? answers on a post card to Cllr Critchly.

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welshmen says...
4:44pm Fri 31 Aug 12

After the Council have repaired the Transporter Bridge where are they going to put that? answers on a post card to Cllr Critchly.

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welshmen says...
4:45pm Fri 31 Aug 12

After the Council have repaired the Transporter Bridge where are they going to put that? answers on a post card to Cllr Critchly.

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lowandhardandinthecorner says...
10:41pm Sat 1 Sep 12

Why can't the council ever do what's obviously necessary? Repair the bloody thing and restore it in a re-vamped city centre - if you ever get around to it.Newport has already got a " white elephant " athletics stadium with a capacity that will never ever be used because they failed to maintain it.
What a dead loss these representatives of the people are, wake me up when they make a good decision!

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