Repair job ensures hospital's clock tower is all in good time.
Time no longer stands still at a Portsmouth hospital after its clock tower was finally repaired. The clocks in the tower at St James's Hospital in Locksway Road, Milton, are ticking again once more after coming to a halt several years ago. The last of the tower's four clock faces conked out about five years ago, leaving elderly hospital patients scratching their heads. And it was thanks to The News that clock repair specialists were tracked down to do the job. St James's Hospital staff contacted repair specialists Good Directions Ltd after reading a story about them repairing the Waterlooville town centre clock. Les Kirk, of Good Directions, said: 'Following the piece in the paper about the Waterlooville clock, someone contacted us from St James's Hospital and told us they had a large clock here, and would we come and look at it. I went down to inspect the system and it didn't take long to realise it was in quite a mess.' The clock, which is part of a listed building, now has a back-up system so it can reset itself automatically in spring and autumn and after any power cuts. Director of finance for the primary care trust Pam Hobbs explained: 'We are very aware that in providing a caring environment for confused and elderly patients , clocks with the wrong time can add to their confusion and frustration.' Article by Chris Broom, The News, Portsmouth