Weathervanes A Central Feature Of Town Hall Restorations

Weathervanes can be a wonderful addition to any building, but they might be particularly notable as part of a major renovation, whether on a single home or a grand civic building.

An instance of the latter has just been revealed in Watford, where the Town Hall Clock Tower has been given a makeover, the Watford Observer reports.

The weathervane was among the elements to be given a fresh lease of life. Featuring a cockerel, it has been painted gold, as has the pineapple on which it is mounted. These elements contrast with the black railings and white clock face.

As well as making the building more eco-friendly, the makeover project is designed to make the town hall quarter more attractive. It may be the more prominent weathervane helps to do just that.

Watford’s town hall clock is Grade II listed and it is not the only one to be getting a makeover this summer that has involved enhancements to the weather vane. Another case can be found in the town of Yarm near Stockton-on-Tees, where the town hall is gradually being unveiled as a major restoration project nears completion, Teesside Live reports.

As the building emerges from behind the scaffold, a notable element has been the weathervane, which has been restored and now works for the first time in 50 years.

The feature is part of work to restore the Grade II Listed building alongside repainting the clock tower. The £600,000 project is being funded out of a £20 million levelling up grant for the town.

Chair of Yarm Town Council, Cllr Peter Monk, said: "It's all coming together. People will be amazed at what we've done.”

Work on the Yarm town hall project should be finished in the autumn or winter of this year. But, as in Watford, the weathervane can now be seen in its full glory and fine appearance, providing a superb visual element to the building.