Iconic Wimbledon Town Centre Clock Is Repaired

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You can now get the right time from the Prince of Wales

The clock above the Prince of Wales pub, one of the oldest pubs in Wimbledon town centre, has been repaired and now shows the correct time.

The 119-year-old clock was last repaired in March 2016 following a breakdown of the internal mechanism due to its age. It had became stuck again and had locals wondering if they were caught in a time warp.

But pub owners Greene King decided it was time to have the clock completely refurbished by eminent clocksmiths, Smith of Derby who also maintain renowned clocks across the country, including St Paul’s Cathedral and St Pancras Station.

Sarah Mackie, who has recently taken over as General Manager of the Prince of Wales, said: “I am extremely proud to be part of the Wimbledon community and I’m aware of the importance of this clock. I’ve only been the general manager at the Prince of Wales for three weeks and getting the clock fixed was one of the first things I wanted to do.”

Love Wimbledon has been lobbying for the clock to be repaired knowing how much it means to everyone living and working in Wimbledon.

Kevin Gallagher, Operations Manager at Love Wimbledon said: “We would like to thank Greene King for fixing the clock above the Prince of Wales. This historic clock is a focal point of the town centre, and as such, to have it back in working order is a great plus. We look forward to working with Greene King on other issues moving forward.”

The repairs cost over £8,000 and a spokesperson for landlord, Greene King, said: “The clock above the Prince of Wales is an iconic landmark in the local community and we are delighted to restore the clock to its full working capacity. We are aware of how important the clock is to the people of Wimbledon and we hope they will be pleased with the investment in giving the area back one of its much loved landmarks.”

• The Prince of Wales was formerly a 17th century coaching inn, frequently visited by Dick Turpin. The old cellar in the pub, now known as Bertie’s Bar, was built to shelter travellers’ horses. The house, built in 1870, later became known as the Prince of Wales, following a state visit to Wimbledon in 1891 by Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany. The clock on The Prince of Wales was installed in 1898 and was manufactured by our very own Halfhide of Wimbledon, who until recently had a shop in the town.

May 15, 2017