Forum Topic

Clock above old HMV removed

Have you seen the new clock above the old HMV its atrocious, the old one was superior, why oh why was it replaced

Brent Moody ● 4186d46 Comments

I see that the rubbish new clock is not even illuminated during darkness.Really, really, extraordinarily naff.

Anthony Waller ● 4122d

It WILL be good as soon as they take the packing crate off.What do you mean they already have?!

Nigel Brooks ● 4124d

Walked past several times and did not realise there was a clock until I saw photo

Keith Mason ● 4124d

I was very disappointed when I clicked on this article. The "clock above old HMV removed" headline gave me a rush of joy in the anticipation that the NEW clock had been removed in a recognition of this ghastly municipal mistake. Not so.

Neil F. Weber ● 4127d

Why did they have to change the exterior anyway?Surely the inside could have been remodelled without destroying the existing façade.The new build is totally boring and cheap looking.Well done Ealing Council.How much backhander did you receive?

Kevin Hemming ● 4128d

Sad to say, but I question the design decision makers and commissioners at Ealing Council - most of them are Philistines when it comes to civic design imo and that includes most of the officers and some councillors too. Its worrying.

Gerry Tan ● 4129d

I think Jean has it just right it's like waiting for our new cinima a very long time before anything is going to happen

Simon Swinn ● 4129d

Gerry, I'll tell you what I think is wrong with the clock.It resembles Palletts or packing materials rather than a clock face.It is not as easy to read the time on this clock.I much preferred the character of the older clock it was really interesting to look at.I would prefer the clock to strike the top of the hour at least!Anyway as was mentioned on the forum, I guess we are stuck with it for years to come.Modern it may be, interesting it is not.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4129d

Tell us more about the clock Simon - describe the things you don't like about it please.

Gerry Tan ● 4129d

Have tried to give "benifit of doubt" to this modern design but it is awful and unfortunately it's going to be there for years to come

Simon Swinn ● 4129d

And I thought Allies and Morrison were renowned Architects. How did they get it so wrong?

John Sears ● 4173d

Remember the plastic Christmas tree? Says it all.

Nigel Brooks ● 4176d

I agree it's atrocious, I despair if Ealing Council think this is good design.

Carol Atkinson ● 4176d

The decision to approve of that clock is worrying. This does not bode well for the quality of decisions made by Ealing Council.

Elizabeth Price ● 4176d

Please put the old clock back,or something to replace this new one which can only be considered to be partpart of the scaffolding.An art school student could have made a better job of it!

Roger Mulllins ● 4176d

The new clock is just ghastly and brings down the tone of the whole of central Ealing. It looks as if it is made of cheap slats of wood, is hard to read and is an eyesore.  Surely a replacement for the perfectly quaint and interesting former clock could have had some attention to good design and function?  The only thing that is as depressing as the design is the fact that it was approved by the Council. I can't imagine how anyone could think this was an improvement on what was there already.

Julie de Burgh ● 4177d

Maybe they want us to linger longer?

Jean F Fernandez ● 4180d

Speaking of clocks, there isn't a large clock in the Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre - I wonder why? Of all places I would have thought there'd be a clock in the middle of the piazza.

Gerry Tan ● 4180d

The "old" clock was a little twee with its figurines and bells  apparently styled on an Alpine village but at least it was clear and legible.  That said, with the large majority of people carrying their own accurate timepieces as either wristwatches or mobile phones do we actually need public clocks other than as artwork?

Philip Coe ● 4183d

LOL

Jean F Fernandez ● 4183d

It's not meant be functional, according to some it's 'art' (I am sure that I missed an 'f' there somewhere).

Nigel Brooks ● 4183d

This is on a par with the Olympic 2012 logo as the worst design I've yet to see. It's not even readable!

Colin Minchin ● 4183d

I wish....;-)

Jean F Fernandez ● 4183d

Jean can you think of the winning lottery numbers for the weekend? I'll try to read your thoughts again :-)

Nigel Brooks ● 4183d

Nigel, you must have read my thoughts just now, that's exactly what I thought! Simply awsful and must have cost a packet.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4183d

classic 80s banter nige

Ron Gill ● 4183d

Could it be the same 'designer' who gave us the 'wonderful' £13,000 recycled bottle tree?At least Ealing taxpayers are not spending public money for this glorified packing crate.

Nigel Brooks ● 4183d

It is simply awful.Someone with no imagination "designed" the new clock.I wish they would come on here and defend this piece vs the earlier one.

Mark Walker ● 4183d

I looked at the rather banal and boring design and never even noticed the clock.Today I looked again.The only place where it is clear is to stand 50 m down in the middle of the Uxbridge road!Sums up Ealing's current overseers, easily conned,and bereft of ideas and creativity.Surely something better than that can be knocked up by todays designers, be it contemporary or retrospective.?

Anthony Waller ● 4183d

Only two problems.You can't see the hands and the bloody thing is stopped more often than it tells the right time.Apart from these considerations, it's a masterpiece!

Nigel Brooks ● 4184d

I have passed by a few times and did not realise it was a clock! Was someone actually paid to design this atrocity? Plain and simple is good, simple and stupid is bad.

Anthony B Millier ● 4184d

Trying to read the time when the hands are in front of a see-through background was always going to be a crazy decision.  And many of us said so at consultation stage. It can be rectified by adding a solid background to the hands and preferably ROUND - like normal clock faces.  Simple !

John Hummerston ● 4184d

I love the new clock. It's minimalist & brings an air of modernity to the Broadway.

Simon Bell ● 4184d

Yesterday I saw the Christchurch clock was about 15 minutes slow.

Graham Weeks ● 4185d

Don't get me started on this clock. At a planning committee which I sat on when this was being discussed, and unfortunately, agreed upon, I raised the issue of the lack of architectural style of the clock not doing the existing building any justice or in fact Ealing town centre any favours with such an ugly piece of clockwork. Unfortunately, the dominant side of the committee waved it through.

Joanna Dabrowska ● 4185d

Apologies, Also meant to add an "...it" plus barely a thought with the design for those with impaired vision.

Philip Coe ● 4185d

Without the prompt I suspect I would never have spotted

Philip Coe ● 4185d

An inspirational architectural feature that sums up all that is great about Ealing.NOT!

Nigel Brooks ● 4185d

The sad thing is that someone probably collected loadsa money for the re-used decking.

Fred Hunt ● 4185d

I'm sure it'll be lovely when they take the packing case off !

Pat Kingham ● 4185d

I'll try larger -

Fred Hunt ● 4185d

Fred Hunt ● 4185d

But it would still show the right time twice a day ;-)

Debbie Edwards ● 4185d

Glad to see that the 'old' clock will be re-used.  However, wasn't it out of order a lot of the time?!

Elizabeth Anna Thaddeus ● 4186d

I agree the new clock is awful, it would be difficult to even read the time on it!Loved the original clock and haaooy to hear it will be used in another building.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4186d

The old clock has been 'recovered' by Christ the Saviour school and will be part of their new building. I agree the new clock is tatty.

Nigel Brooks ● 4186d