First column unveiled as part of Historic bridge lantern refurb

The first of the iconic street lanterns on Worcester's historic Bridge has been unveiled by Worcestershire County Council.

One of the complete lanterns was removed from the Grade II listed bridge earlier this year, so that 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.  

Councillor 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"

As the 'test' lantern has been so successfully restored to full working order, the other 7 lanterns on the eastern (Cathedral) side of the bridge will be removed for full restoration. Once these have been refurbished and refitted, the final eight lanterns on the western (Pitchcroft) side will be removed for refurbishment. 

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 that they will all be reinstated by late Autumn, 2022.