
The old clock in town always reads one minute past nine, no matter what time it is.
For three years, Machynlleth in mid Wales has not heard a chime from the clock, with the only reminder existing on social media.
Perhaps TikTok would have been more appropriate, however Twitter is the place to hear the hourly chimes of Wales' oldest city.
"It seems like with this clock, no one ages," quipped a passer-by in jest.
Here is where aging is halted - we all remain youthful.
Despite the Big Ben in London being subject to an £80m restoration, the 78ft (23.7m) tall Victorian clock located at the former capital of Wales has not been heard since October 2020.
An elusive and mischievous inhabitant has produced a parody Twitter account for Machynlleth's town clock, which triggers its bell chime sound every hour.
Town mayor Jeremy Paige commented that it demonstrated the degree of passion people have for restoring the clock when they have taken the initiative to set up a Twitter account and ring it every sixty minutes for an extended amount of time.
Nobody appears to be aware of who manages the account, but whoever it is, they must have a great enthusiasm for making the real clock start chiming again. I think it's an adorable concept.
Mr Paige declared that he is constantly approached by people on a daily basis asking him to repair the clock, saying that it was "the single biggest issue people talk to me about."
The people who live in Powys town desire their Grade II listed clock to function properly more than two times daily, preferably by July 2024, when they will be celebrating its 150th anniversary.
Time is running out.
Residents in the 19th Century contributed money in order to construct a landmark in the middle of Powys town in honour of the 21st birthday of the eldest son of the Fifth Marquess of Londonderry, who resided in the vicinity.
Henry Kennedy, an architect from Bangor, was the successful entrant in the competition to create the clock tower. Edward Edwards, a local contractor, was responsible for its assembly, primarily employing stone sourced from north-west Wales.
When a storm struck in 1881, two of the clock's faces were broken, prompting locals to contribute money for the necessary repairs.
The 2012 fundraiser, running for nine years, raised £200,000 to repair the clock, but it has been non-functioning for around three years, creating much discussion in Machynlleth.
A local resident said to the BBC that since the bus stop is not adjacent to the timetable, it is impossible to determine the correctness of the times displayed.
All the buses arrive at nine o'clock, so sometimes they're on time, which is quite humorous!
One pedestrian remarked: "It's a shame since it leads people to believe that there is not enough financial input in the community."
The local community council has approved an expenditure of £55,000 to restore and spruce up the clock, permitting the eight-week revamp to take place during the summer.
This bill will make up more than 5% of the town council's yearly budget, and the rest of the money will be obtained from Cadw, a Welsh historic buildings organization.
"The clock is a kind of symbol of the town," commented Mr Paige; "If it's not functioning well, it's as if the community is being asked to consider what the problem might be."
The clock is a source of tremendous fondness and is highly significant to the town since it was financed by its citizens and constructed by its residents.
It's legendary to us and with only 2,000 inhabitants in the village, a T-intersection is formed and the timepiece sits at that intersection - you can't pass through without coming across it.
It is essential that the clock is repaired for the well-being of our town.
Yorumlar