Outcry over council plan to scrap floral clock

The floral clock feature in Palmeira Square gardens in Hove was created in the 1950s to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

More than 1,700 people have signed an online petition to save an East Sussex heritage floral clock from being scrapped.

The feature has been in the gardens in Palmeira Square, Hove, since the 1950s but Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) plans to remove it as part of a makeover project for the area.

Critics of the plan argue the council is spending more to revamp the space than would be necessary to fix and maintain the existing gardens.

BHCC has been contacted for comment.

Last week, BHCC announced the upgrade plans and said preparatory work to landscape the garden would begin on 1 September.

Initial council proposals include "re-shaping flower beds and adding more sustainable plants which are better suited to a warmer climate", with a focus on plants similar to those found at Hove Lagoon.

Speaking to BBC Sussex, campaigner Laura King described the floral clock as "a valuable part of city heritage".

'Absolute showstopper'

The clock was installed to commemorate the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Ms King said it was "extremely disrespectful to our late queen to destroy [the clock]".

She added: "It's an absolute showstopper, or it was until the last few years it started being neglected.

"I can't believe how quickly the petition is growing but it just goes to show how strong the feeling is and it's utterly ridiculous to say it is to expensive to fix it when they're about to spend several million pounds on revamping the whole green."

Preliminary suggestions for the clock's replacement include sculptures or a digital sundial.

Ms King also called for the public consultation into the planned upgrades to be restarted dubbing it a "sham consultation that's already been pre-decided".

"We had award-winning flowerbeds that would draw money-spending visitors to our city," she said.

"If you're getting rid of an existing attraction in the city then you will have fewer people coming here to spend their money and fewer visitors."

The public consultation into the proposed revamp plans runs until Sunday 14 September on the BHCC website.

The project is scheduled for completion by April 2026.