Mixed views as town's sundial taken down

Residents in Sutton-in-Ashfield are divided about developments in the town after a sundial was taken down.

The sculpture, which was erected in Portland Square in 1995, has been removed as part of plans to regenerate the town centre.

A council spokesman said keeping the sundial "would have been very limiting" for the redesign of the square, adding most residents who responded to a consultation were not in favour of retaining it.

Metal recovered from the artwork will also be weighed and sold, with the money given to John Eastwood Hospice.

Bob Harvey, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, supports the redevelopment of the square, and said he would not miss the sundial.

"I'm glad it's removed actually," the 71-year-old said.

"It cost a lot of money, and it didn't bring any extra visitors into the town - it eventually ended up an eyesore.

"At my age, I can remember when it used to be really attractive on Portland Square, people used to sit and visit, and hopefully it's going to be turned back to what it used to be."

Patricia Slade, 72, and from Hilcote, said seeing the sculpture taken down "is a terrible shame".

"Everybody loved it," she said.

"It was like a landmark for the area, it's very sad."

Eanna Aubery, 35, said she would have preferred to see it retained.

"I think it's quite a bit of a pity that they're not relocating it or using it in the new design," she said.

"We've only just moved to the area, but it was something nice."

Corinna Dean, who works at nearby Parr Butchers, is not in favour of the redevelopments, and feels the sundial will be a loss.

"I think it's an absolutely shocking waste of money," she said.

"If they really need to waste money, then why not lower people's council tax?

"It doesn't make sense, there's no logic to it as far as I'm concerned."

Jean Robinson, 73, and from Huthwaite, also wanted to see the sundial kept.

"It was put there for a reason, and if it had been kept up to standard, it could have stayed there," she said.

"If they wanted to make that area there for people to sit and [create] gardens, and goodness knows what, I think they should have had a bigger consultation."

Paul Crawford, the district council’s service manager for investment, said the redesigned square would see more trees planted and new seating for outdoor businesses, which he said "has been designed to make the town centre a more attractive and sociable space for visitors".

He said the sundial could not be relocated "because the fiberglass top would break and we would have to rebuild the sun circle elsewhere", while the metal used in it "is very difficult and not cost-effective to reuse".

"The majority of residents, who took part in the consultation, were in favour of not keeping the sundial in the new Portland Square," he said.

“Moreover, it would have been very limiting to redesign the square whilst retaining the sundial."

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