North Somerset Council has started to remove the concrete that was unexpectedly poured over Weston-super-Mare's historic floral clock by volunteers from the local Lions Club. The club had planned to paint a mural on the concrete, as they struggled to maintain the flowerbeds. However, this decision surprised the town and the council, who own the clock.
The council quickly announced plans to restore the floral clock and confirmed that work would begin immediately. Workers from Glendale, the council's ground maintenance contractor, have begun removing the thick layer of concrete from the flowerbed, a task expected to take about three days.
Council leader Mike Bell said: "Once the concrete has been removed, the council will assess whether any additional improvement work needs to be done to prepare the area for planting. We're working hard to develop the best plan for the area, including considering planting schemes for the clock, and are keen to bring in sustainable planting where possible."
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"We're also in the planning stages of a pilot scheme to improve the green space in Alexandra Parade as a whole, and the floral clock will be a vital part of this."
"We will continue to work with Weston-super-Mare Lions, who have been such strong custodians of the floral clock, and other volunteers on this project. When we've finished finalising the details, we'll share them with the local community and explain how anyone who's interested can get involved."
Weston-super-Mare Lions previously said it has been "disheartened by some of the misunderstandings" after they concreted over the flowerbeds. The charity, which has looked after the floral clock for many years, regularly raises more than £40,000 a year which it donates to local individuals and national and local charities, including Weston Hospicecare, Sands and Prostate Cancer UK.
In a statement, WSM Lions club president Chick Parkin said: "The Weston Floral Clock has generated a lot of conversation and interest in the last week, and we are pleased to see such a high level of engagement from the local community. But we're also disheartened by some of the misunderstandings."
He added: "As proud Westonians ourselves, our intention has always been to transform the floral clock into something that the community could be rightly proud of and that would be durable enough to remain an attractive landmark despite the lack of council funding."
He added: "We are delighted to hear the council has decided to get involved with the floral clock once again, and we will continue to talk to them about their plans."
Before deciding to swap the flowerbeds for a mural, the Lions had asked for more volunteers to help them water the floral clock - but only two people responded.
Anyone who wants to volunteer with the Weston Lions Club and help look after the flower clock can get in touch with them here or on Facebook.
People are being encouraged to sponsor the floral clock. If you're interested, you can contact North Somerset Council's communications team at communications@n-somerset.gov.uk.
