HISTORIC street lanterns on Worcester Bridge will now be fully restored after the first of the iconic pieces was revealed by Worcestershire County Council.
One of the complete lanterns was removed from the Grade II listed bridge earlier this year, so the County Council could understand exactly what was needed for its restoration.
This ‘test’ lantern has now been reinstated having been fully restored to its original condition.
As the ‘test’ lantern has been so successfully restored to full working order, the other seven lanterns on the Cathedral side of the bridge will be removed for full restoration.
Once these have been refurbished and refitted, the final eight lanterns on the Pitchcroft side will be removed for refurbishment.
Coun Mike Rouse, cabinet member for highways and transport at Worcestershire County Council said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see the first lantern now in place and fully working. This will give people a taster of how beautiful the refurbished lanterns will look.
“I am very excited to see all 16 lanterns fully restored to their former glory. They are an asset to Worcester’s heritage and contribute hugely to the style and age of the area. I would like to thank everybody who has been involved in this challenging restoration”
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 is expected they will all be reinstated by late Autumn.
