The clock, a former gift to the town from British Cellophane Ltd in the early 1960s, was previously located on Broadway near the Mercure Hotel. It was removed due to safety concerns regarding the deterioration of its concrete column.
The landmark has been in storage since its removal. Now, Somerset Council is working with Bridgwater Town Council to bring the clock back into public display, having secured external funding for the initiative. Both councils are collaborating on the project, with the Town Council responsible for the clock's repair and commissioning, while Somerset Council is managing the reinstatement of a new structural column in an agreed location.
Councillor Bill Revans, Somerset Council Leader, expressed his enthusiasm: "We are thrilled to be able to make this happen after we identified external funding which can be used to get the clock back in situ. I know how much this clock means to the people of Bridgwater. My father Peter Revans was a Works Engineer at British Cellophane for many years and the recognition of the major contribution this employer made to the town is an important part of our heritage. We have spoken to numerous businesses in the town in recent months and there is a real desire to see the clock return. The exact location is yet to be decided and our team will work with local stakeholders over the coming weeks to establish this."
Councillor Jacqui Solomon, Bridgwater Town Council’s Eastover Ward Councillor, added: "The Eastover Clock, or as I have always known it, the Cellophane Clock, is a much-loved part of Bridgwater’s heritage and over the years, many residents have told us they would like to see it returned to public display. It was a valued local landmark and something I regularly referred to, both as a child and as an adult. With the right location, it can once again become a familiar and valued feature of the town. It is important that any new home respects the clock’s heritage, provides a sustainable future for its maintenance and wherever possible, returns it to the area people most closely associate with it. Bridgwater Town Council is pleased to support the restoration and sympathetic modernisation of the clock, helping to ensure it continues to serve the town for many years to come while preserving an important part of our local history. It has always been on my agenda to see the clock reinstated and I welcome this joint project. I look forward to seeing it become a feature of Eastover once again."
Project teams are now working with partners on the next steps, with the clock’s former location under consideration.
