When will rebuild of historic city clock be complete after nearly £1m repairs?

A Stirling city centre landmark which is famed for keeping good time in Stirling is undergoing refurbishment and should be ready for early next year.

Complex and careful restoration of the Christie Clock is now well under way, with a revised completion date of March 2027.

Significant progress has already been made on a range of specialist off-site activities, including stone conservation, clock restoration and metalwork refurbishment.

The procurement of the replacement stone is also in hand, all planned to ensure the successful delivery of the important heritage project.

Preparations at the site will begin in late October, with the first phase of works focusing on the existing clock tower base which will commence at the start of November.

Scaffolding will then be erected ahead of reconstruction works of the clock tower starting in January, with overall project completion scheduled for the end of March.

At a Special Meeting of Stirling Council in February, expenditure of £898,000 for the restoration of the much-loved city centre clock was approved.

Originally, it was hoped the work would be completed by the end of October, but the delivery programme has been extended after the restoration approach and programme were revised on the advice of architects, the main contractor and conservators. The overall projected costs remain unchanged.

All the site works will be contained within the vicinity of the public space in the vicinity of the plinth (between Park Terrace and Melville Terrace), which includes the fountain and seating area. Road closures or restrictions will only be required on specific occasions for large deliveries or heavy lifting activities. Further communications will be shared about this in advance of works starting, including direct engagement with residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of the site.

Stirling Council leader, Cllr Susan McGill, said: “Additional conservation requirements have extended the programme, but this reflects the realities of restoring a complex historic structure. We know how much the Christie Clock means to the people of Stirling and it is important that we complete the restoration and conservation of the tower to return this important landmark to Stirling.

“Our focus remains on delivering a high-quality restoration that protects the Christie Clock for future generations, while maintaining robust controls of the project, its costs and risks. The revised programme developed by our conservation specialists and contractors will see the project complete and the tower reinstated for spring next year.”

The contract for the restoration of the Christie Clock was awarded on February 27 to Go-Wright Ltd, a specialist stonemason, with the essential heritage skills. They are supported by Graciela Ainsworth Sculpture Conservation and ZM Architecture.

All stone elements of the Christie Clock have been carefully catalogued, cleaned and transferred to specialist workshops under the guidance of leading conservators Graciela Ainsworth Sculpture Conservation.

Graciela Ainsworth said: “The Christie Clock is an important historic monument and every stage of its restoration requires careful investigation, specialist craftsmanship and close attention to detail. Taking the time to fully understand the condition of each element allows us to conserve as much of the original fabric as possible and ensure the clock can be enjoyed by future generations.

Glasgow-based ZM Architecture are project managing the restoration programme, following on from previous successful conservation operations at venues such as the Glasgow School of Art, Partick Burgh Hall and events venue Oran Mor.

Nick Blair, Director of ZM Architecture, added: “Everyone working on this project is addressing the highest professional standards and preserving the integrity of the Christie Clock.

“An extensive programme of conservation work to the salvaged stones is underway and, in parallel, the required replacement masonry is currently being sourced from the quarry to be then hand carved to match on an exacting basis. The manufacture of new clock faces, together with the repair and manufacture of the remaining clock components is also well underway.

“This is important work and we are determined to deliver the very best for local people on the Christie Clock, which we know is one of Stirling’s most treasured landmarks.”