Bit off kilter but Big Ben to ‘bong’ again
LONDON: Big Ben, the bell inside London’s iconic clock tower which has been silent since August, will chime again on key upcoming dates but the timing might be a bit off kilter, Britain’s parliament said.
The bell, housed in the Elizabeth Tower, has been off since a fouryear renovation of the building began.
It will be reconnected to sound for Armistice Day, on Nov 11, and Remembrance Sunday the following day, and throughout the Christmas holiday season.
“It has always been the intention throughout the Elizabeth Tower conservation works for Big Ben to ring out for important national events, and whenever we safely can without disruption to the refurbishment project,” a statement said.
The bell in the famous 96m tower which looms over Britain’s Houses of Parliament in Westminster will be reconnected in advance of the occasions.
It will start chiming on the hour from 9am on Nov 9 until 1pm on Nov 12, and from 9am on Dec 23 until 1pm on Jan 1, 2018.
But parliamentary authorities said they expected “slight inaccuracies” after an 11-week break.
The structure is undergoing much-needed renovations, which started on Aug 21 and could end up costing as much as £61mil (RM331mil).
Completed in neo-Gothic style in 1856 by parliament architect Augustus Pugin, the tower has suffered from considerable degradation over time, and now even leans 46cm off the vertical.
However, silencing Big Ben – whose chimes feature on British television and radio news bulletins – has proved contentious, sparking protests including from Prime Minister Theresa May. — AFP