West Midlands team keeps historic clock tower in Wolverhampton ticking

A key part of Wolverhampton’s industrial history continues to tick, thanks to a restoration project by our West Midlands team.

The Clock Tower @ Akron Gate has been built on the premises of the former Goodyear Factory. Once one of the city’s largest employers, it is now home to properties created by our West Midlands team. As part of the wider project, the team made a commitment to restore the factory’s clock tower to its former glory, becoming a focal point of the site.

With the clock tower restoration now complete, an interpretation board has been installed at the site which will allow residents and visitors to learn more about the history of the development and the Goodyear Factory.

Cllr Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, visited the development to see the finished clock tower and interpretation board.

Cllr Simkins said: “The Goodyear name will forever be synonymous with Wolverhampton, and I am delighted Persimmon have taken the time to restore the clock tower to its former glory.

“The clock tower and interpretation board capture the history of this site and will act as a lasting tribute to the hundreds of Goodyear factory workers employed there and their families.

“It also offers a fantastic focal point for the Wolverhampton families creating new stories in their new homes on this development.”

Throughout the restoration process, the team worked on brick replacement, re-pointing and rendering as well as detailing the lead work on the pagoda roof. We also worked closely with a horologist to make the building’s clock function for the first time in over 40 years.

Daniel Hassall, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “What we do is about much more than just building homes, it’s about leaving a lasting positive legacy in our communities, and preserving their history wherever we can.

“Restoring the clock tower has been an incredibly worthwhile project, allowing us to celebrate a long-standing part of Wolverhampton’s heritage and create a characterful community with history at its core.

“The interpretation board at the site will also allow people to learn some more about the development’s history and how we integrated the tower into Akron Gate.”