Miners' lanterns 'fundamental to town's heritage'

The new lanterns are based on the more familiar "protector" mining lamp design, the council said

New lanterns installed in Biddulph to honour the area's mining heritage are "better than we hoped they'd be", a councillor says.

First installed on a roundabout by St John's Road in 2004, the three lamps were removed in 2022 for repair.

But Biddulph East councillor Jill Salt said they were "too far gone" and new ones had to be created.

The cost has been shared between councils and partners after Biddulph Town Council said there was no maintenance agreement in place.

Old v new: Solar LED lighting has been added so mains electricity is not required and the lamps emit a soft blue glow after dark, the council said

The 2004 design was based on an old-fashioned safety lamp, the authority said.

The councillor said she had seen them fall into disrepair and wanted to restore them, first tackling the council about it in 2019.

The project cost more than £15,000 but she said Biddulph Town Council had built up some reserves for “capital expenses on a project like this".

“It was also supported by Moorlands Partnership Board which safeguards heritage projects and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, so it was a joint project," she said.

“Although it’s all taxpayers' money, it’s come from three different sources through capital funds, rather than revenue, so I do think it’s a great value for money and there’s loads of positive feedback and it’s not often we get to spend taxpayers' money with positive feedback and it’s what people wanted."

The new lanterns are based on the more familiar "protector" mining lamp design, the council said.

“I think they’re better than we hoped they’d be," Salt said, adding that it was important to remember the mining history in the town.

“Biddulph East wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the mining community, those mining houses that were built and still exist where I grew up in Biddulph East… it’s vital. It’s a fundamental part of our heritage."