Important repairs are needed for memorial

Rachael Wayman
It was really nice to see the town pull together to remember all our fallen heroes at the Town Square in Amble, I was really impressed to see so many people come and mark the passing of 100 years.
This is a photograph I took, I didn't manage to get all the people in it because I was also trying to capture the memorial clock. — Rachael Wayman It was really nice to see the town pull together to remember all our fallen heroes at the Town Square in Amble, I was really impressed to see so many people come and mark the passing of 100 years. This is a photograph I took, I didn't manage to get all the people in it because I was also trying to capture the memorial clock.

At last Thursday’s town council, members agreed that it was important for work to be carried out as soon as possible.

Clerk Elaine Brown said: “Water is leaking into the memorial from the roof. The water is sitting on the central mechanism box that controls the dial faces of the clock and saturating the original beams that support the concrete floors at various levels inside the memorial.

“During recent inclement weather the water was shorting the auto-wind system and stopping the clock.

“Repairs required may include a like-for-like replacement of the roof, replacement of any rotten internal beams, repairs to the concrete floors at various levels to improve the internal structure and safety for accessing, and improvements to the drainage system that runs down the inside of the memorial and egresses via a pipe under the oak door.

“Currently, the drainage system retains moisture in the air which can be damaging to the clock mechanism.”

Mayor Coun Craig Weir said: “It is an iconic part of our town and we need to do something. Unfortunately, we are famous for having a clock that doesn’t work.”

Coun Robert Arckless added: “We need to start the process as soon as we can. My concern is the integrity of the memorial and the longer this goes on, and with the weather being as it has been, the more risk there is.”

Coun Helen Lewis proposed putting up tarpaulin – possibly inside the structure – as a temporary measure for protection.

The new clock digital regulation system is ready to be installed, but will be kept in storage until after the repairs.

A condition survey is needed to clarify the extent of the work required. A pre-grant inquiry to the War Memorials Trust has been made to see if any funding can be obtained.