Plymouth's sundial to get fresh for summer

Plymouth’s famous sundial will be once more dazzling in the sunshine.

Restoration specialists are being brought in to perk up and bring back to life the features on the fountain. They are starting work this week.

The terrazzo marks at the base and edge of the fountain, which was installed in the late 1980s, will be smartened up as their age and location have left them worn.

The two shadow markers will have their stainless steel tops/plaques replaced and reset back into place. The central plaque will also be removed, smartened up, re-sited and the flags repainted.

Stainless steel tops lettering will be repainted and the broken edges of the surrounds will also be repaired before all the markers are steam-cleaned.

The work is expected to take two weeks and cost in the region of £9,000.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Brian Vincent said: “Thousands of visitors and shoppers come past this feature every day and it is a popular meeting point for people.

“We have recently seen the San Sebastian and the Gydnia fountains brought back to life to make the city look and feel better and in this warm weather they look great.

“We wanted to make a bit of a splash and to make our lovely city centre more attractive – particularly in the evening, when more people will be out and about as the summer comes along.”

Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet Member for Finance added: "The city centre is extremely important to the city’s economy and to how people feel about the city. We need to do all we can to make sure our city centre looks good."

Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThe_Plymouth_Sundial_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1594539.jpg