Edinburgh Princes Street 'Binns Clock' to be restored

The ornately-decorated clock was added to the building's facade in 1960

A clock that became renowned as a meeting point for Edinburgh residents in the 1960s is to be restored.

The cantilever clock, on the corner of Princes Street and Hope Street, became a well-known landmark after being added to what was Binns department store.

However, its painted pipers that once marched on the hour and half hour fell silent after the clock fell into disrepair.

The project is part of plans to create a visitor attraction at the site.

Drinks giant Diageo is in the process of transforming the former House of Fraser store, which shut last year, into the Johnny Walker "visitor experience".

They said the clock would be "brought back to life" by expert clockmakers who had been commissioned to restore it to its original glory.

Diageo aims to open the new visitor centre in Princes Street by the end of this year

Known locally as the "Binns Clock" after the former department store, the clock was first installed in 1960 and became a popular meeting place for Edinburgh residents, particularly as a romantic rendezvous point for people going on dates.

Mark Crangel, the clockmaker from Cumbria Clock Company who is overseeing the restoration, said: "It's great to be working on this clock because it is such a well-known landmark in Edinburgh.

"It's not worked for a while now and with a lot of moving parts, so it will be a demanding job but it will be incredibly satisfying to see the clock working again as it did when it was first installed 60 years ago."

House of Fraser took over the building at 146 Princes Street and 3 Hope Street in 1953