THE ICONIC street lanterns on Worcester Bridge are to be preserved and refurbished under new plans unveiled by Worcestershire County Council.
The lanterns, dating back to the 1930s, have deteriorated following decades of exposure to river flooding conditions, as well as suffering corrosion and general wear and tear.
It’s thought the project will take a year to complete and will consist of four phases.
Two of the lanterns were removed last month with a further four removed last weekend. The first phase will conclude on Sunday (September 19) when an additional two lanterns and brackets will be removed. These eight lanterns will then be sent on to a specialist contractor for refurbishment.
Coun Alan Amos, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council said: “It is fantastic we are able to keep these lanterns on Worcester Bridge. They are genuine streetlights and date back the 1930s, which makes them a significant heritage item.
“Much of the detail has been lost under many years of grime and paint so it will be wonderful to see them fully restored to their original brass’’
“These streetlights contribute a great deal to the street scene in Worcester. They are unique to the City and hugely contribute to the style and age of the area’’.
The renovations will include the stripping back years of previous paintwork to the original brass finish and fitting new LED lamps to reduce energy consumption and ongoing maintenance costs.
The old, hinged doors will be modified to ensure the integrity of the luminaire housing.
It is expected that the first eight renovated lanterns will be reinstalled early next year with the remaining phases following on.
In conjunction the paintwork of the columns will be cleaned and assessed for wear and tear.
