Tuesday April 28th 2026
Tollcross, Edinburgh
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A decision to approve funding for the restoration of a historic clock which once stood in a busy Edinburgh neighbourhood has been hailed by a local councillor.
Councillors at Tuesday’s finance committee meeting agreed to put £72,572 towards restoring the Tollcross Clock, drawn from the city’s Common Good fund.
SNP councillor Finlay McFarlane celebrated the approval to fund the restoration works, and said he looked forward to next steps in finding a location for the Edwardian-era clock.
He continued: “Today plans to restore a wee bit of civic pride to Tollcross moved one step closer to reality with committee’s instruction to begin renovations.
“I’m well aware that the local community have looked upon Leith Walk with envy after the successful clock restoration works as part of the trams to Newhaven [project].”
“I look forward to discussions with residents and heritage bodies to find the best location.”
He added that he had worked for a number of years to secure the resource and support to get the Tollcross Clock ‘back in pride of place’.
Councillors approved the funding, as well as recommendations in a report by council officers, at Tuesday’s meeting without debate.
The 1901-vintage clock was pulled from the Tollcross crossroads in March 2022, with reports saying it came after an inspection revealed a crack in its base.
Since then, it has sat mothballed storage, with the refurbishment works delayed and plans set out to reinstate the clock during planned junction works.
But with the junction works themselves delayed, suggestions emerged that work on the clock should proceed on its own.
Cllr McFarlane, who represents the City Centre ward, worked to spearhead the effort, putting forward a motion to a full council meeting in December last year to call for action.
According to the council officers’ report on Tuesday, restoration work could get underway by May, and the clock could be back in place ‘by April 2027 onwards’.
Officers added that the clock should not be restored to its previous position within the junction due to risk of damage to it and additional maintenance costs it would lead to.
Instead, they suggest alternative locations should be explored and agreed by councillors ‘in consultation with local stakeholders’.
They added listed building consent may be required in order to move the clock from its previous location to a new one.
The report stated that funding would still need to be found for the reinstatement works on the Tollcross clock, which would be separate from the sum needed to restore the clock.
It further added that a period of restoration between May and August had already been provisionally booked in with council contractors, pending councillors approving the spend.
In the meantime, officers stated they would use the time to explore funding sources to physically put the clock back in place, and engage with stakeholders on its new location.
The council’s culture committee will be the next to look at the project, as discussions over its new location come together.
The James Ritchie and Sons clock has evolved over the years, with photos from the Edwardian era showing it abutting the Tollcross junction when it was a busy tram interchange.
It was originally a pendulum clock, but was converted in 1926 to a spring-driven mechanism – and again in 1969 to electrical operation.
The changes meant less and less human intervention was needed to keep the clock on time.
Edinburgh Council pulled it from its site in 1974 as part of works to change the junction, but it was put back in place near to its original location after sharp public backlash.
Last year, funds from the Common Good fund were earmarked for restoring the Portobello Town Hall clock to its former location, after being down for more than 20 years.
The BBC reported in September last year that work had gotten underway to restore that clock in advance of reinstating it.
Among the council’s timepieces are 27 public clocks and 25 clocks inside the City Chambers on High Street – though only 24 of the public ones are currently in operation.
One other public clock, which was once sited in Fountainbridge, was still in council storage as of September last year.
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