Roundhay Park and Tropical World Leeds

Oakwood Clock, Roundhay Leeds. Campaign by local residents and businesses to rescue and restore this historic Leeds landmark.

Oakwood Clock Tower
Oakwood Clock, seen here in slightly better repair during summer 2003. Photo by permission imagesofleeds.com

Oakwood Clock restoration news and updates.

Oakwood Clock Leeds - Plaque | Oakwood Clock Leeds - video | Clock Rescue Raffle | Clock restoration video - Summer 2013 | OTRA Launch restoration campaign. | Work commences - January 2015

People Power fixes the Clock Tower! Oakwood can finally boast a newly restored clock tower and surrounding landscaping after years of neglect, broken promises and aborted plans...

Now that work is under way you may like to see a full groudn plan of the works being carried out the area around Oakwood Clock - click here to view a full .pdf document of the plans as submitted for Planning Approval.
Oakwood Clock area plans, Roundhay Leeds
Oakwood Clock being dismantled and removed prior to restoration. 26th January 2015.
Time lapse video:

In December 2012 the "Oakwood Traders & Residents Association" (OTRA) was formally registered with Companies House (Company No.08304101) and has as one of its aims the rescue and restoration of the historic Oakwood Clock which has formed the centrepiece of the area for 100 years.

Oakwood Clock

The costs of restorating the Clock Tower were originally estimated at £120,000 (£100,000 + VAT!).

A tidy sum to challenge any fundraising, but the ball was already rolling early in 2013 when The Friends of Roundhay Park agreed to donate £1,000, Roundhay School and Roundhay Planning Forum each agreed to donate £500 to the fund for the clock restoration to kick start the fund.

Oakwood Clock Restoration and renovation update - Spring 2015.

Planning approval has now been given for: The restoration of the old clock tower, new hard landscaping for the entire area surrounding the clock (planned completion date is May 1st 2015!!). Work started in January 2015 to fence off the area surrounding the clock, and the first steps to dismantle the shelter can be seen on the photo below, taken in early January 2015.

Oakwood Clock renovation works
Work commences to dismantle the Clock - January 2015

AND - at last plans to build on the site of the old toilet block. Maybe by the end of 2015 the whole area will finally be completed. Demolition of the old toilet block looks set to start in January 2015.

Oakwood Toilets
Artists impression of the completed building on the site of the old toilet block at Oakwood.

Oakwood Pavers campaignOakwood Clock Fundraising Update - March 2014.

The grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) appears to have been a SUCCESS - woo hoo! Together with a LARGE private donation, and ongoing fund-raising by OTRA (Oakwood Traders and Residents Association) the restoration of the clock now looks guaranteed - all we need now is a good plan for the surrounding area!

Oakwood Clock Fundraising Update - February 2014.

By Early 2014 the fundraising total has passed £50,000! In addition to which a grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has been made, and a decision is expected mid February. If this application is successful the restoration works can commence.

Oakwood Clock Fundraising Update - August 2013.

A new event is planned for September 7th which should prove a great success with live music, stalls and a beer festival at Oakwood Clock 'Clock Rock and Two Empty Barrels'.

Oakwood Clock Fundraising Update - February 2013.

Over £3,700 was raised by the recent raffle in support of funding the clock restoration, Ian Macniven spent many hours in the foyer of Tesco and sold around £2,000's worth of tickets. A magnificent effort by him, and by others who helped him!

· A promised donation of £5,000 from Tesco has been received by cheque and banked, and Oakwood Traders and Residents are extremely grateful to them for their generous support for the clock restoration.

· Rico's Restaurant organised a very successful Sunday lunchtime buffet which raised around £450 for the clock.

· The Oakwood Clock Fund has received 11 substantial donations from individuals or couples, including one from a lady living in London who used to live in Oakwood and has very fond memories of her time here. These highly valued donations add up to a total of £560 so far. These, when added to the large organisational donations already announced and membership fees, plus the proceeds of the raffle and Rico's buffet, mean that the sum already reaised is £21,500 towards restoring the clock and its tower.

· A very generous offer from the North Leeds Music Centre, under the leadership of Mervyn Manning, to put on a concert with the admission proceeds donated to the clock preservation fund has been received.
This may be an evening in June. The programme will most likely consist of classical pieces, music from shows like Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera and some well-known swing band/jazz pieces. The finalised date will be announced soon.

Time is running out for Oakwood Clock...

On Sunday 7th October 2012 we took our flying drone camera for a spin around the clock at Oakwood.

As you can see, the decay is well and truly set in - which was no secret to those viewing from ground level - take a look at the upper structure, the faded golden owl and unicorns....

Tick, tick tick....