THI ‘turning back the clock’

THE THI heritage project has seen a clock which has not worked in more than 50 years brought back to working order as a feature of the town.

The Pioneer Building Clock Tower in Bacup has been restored as part of the Bacup Townscape Heritage Initiative.

One of the biggest parts of the project was the restoration of the clock itself, bringing it back into use after more than 50 years.

This involved removing and rebuilding the clock faces, installing new computer controlled electric clock motors, and restoring the illumination of the clock faces.

Kathy Fishwick, who chairs the Rossendale Civic Trust, said: “Rossendale Civic Trust members have been watching progress on the Pioneer Building with interest, and hope that bringing work on the clock tower to a satisfactory conclusion will herald in a new appreciation of Bacup’s architectural heritage.”

The work was undertaken by clock makers Smiths of Derby, who also installed the original clock back in 1914, and the original clock mechanism is still in place inside the clock tower. Other restoration works on the building snagging issues that need to be completed.

“There’s still no signage up for any of the businesses, the clock tower is finished, but the rest isn’t.”

However, Dale Connearn, business development manager at Dansworks, was more positive.

He said: “We have been one of the businesses that have raised a lot of these issues around finishes to windows and signage but everything seems to be being addressed and I have also been carried out, including the structural repair of stonework, fixing new steelwork to the inside of the clock tower, restoration of lead work and renewing all the windows and renovating the decorative metal work at the very top of the clock tower.

Despite work now being completed on the Pioneer Clock Tower, phase one of the project is behind schedule.

Barnfield Construction had carried out the first phase of the works, but will now focus on the redevelopment of Rawtenstall town centre and a new contractor is now being sought.

Work on phase two, which includes the REAL Building on St James Square and properties on St James Street, will be put out to competitive tender.

Rossendale council leader Coun Alyson Barnes said: “The next stage is looking at a new contractor for phase two of the scheme and that work is ongoing.

“We’re also going to start looking in more detail at the revised public road proposals that have come from the county council. A new THI Panel has been formed for businesses and traders who are having work done.”