To date, Weston-super-Mare’s Lions Club had been responsible for maintaining the landmark, which dates back to 1935. Due to a lack of volunteer assistance to keep the 20,000 plants watered and cared for, the club decided (without council permission) to concrete it over. The furore than ensued has encouraged both the North Somerset Council to work with the Lions Club of Weston-super-Mare to find a new solution for the town’s famous floral clock.
Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “We’ve listened to feedback from residents who are concerned by recent changes made to the floral clock in Weston-super-Mare. We’re acting quickly to respond. Following an urgent meeting with the Lions Club of Weston-super-Mare, who maintain the site, we’ve agreed that North Somerset Council will remove the concrete and restore flower beds. We hope to work with volunteers on this project to make the site the best it can be.
“We will continue to work closely alongside the Lions Club to finalise plans for the future of the floral clock. We want to again thank them for volunteering their time and effort for many years to maintain this space. In this current financial climate, when we’re all feeling the squeeze, it would be impossible for us to look after the clock without the hard work of volunteers and the goodwill of the community.”
Hopefully they will find enough volunteers to look after the floral monument for the future, and/or perhaps consider a more sustainable planting palette to reduce the need for the (three times a week) watering.
Interested volunteers with the Weston-super-Mare Lions Club are to contact the club and keen potential sponsor of the Floral Clock should contact the North Somerset Council’s communications team via email communications@n-somerset.gov.uk.