Big Ben refurbishment nears to an end

THE restoration of London’s world-famous landmark Big Ben is nearing its end as the freshened-up clockface was unveiled yesterday.

Scaffolding is gradually being removed from the clock, which stands 320ft tall at the north end of the Palace of Westminster.

The site has been an eyesore and a disappointment for many visitors yearning to hear its mighty chimes since the start of the works in 2017.

The cost for the ‘essential’ renovations, which was initially forecast to cost a whopping £29 million, have since sky-rocketed to £80 million.

Now, new pictures reveal the painstaking level of detail that has gone into the five-year refurbishment of the famous bell and Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower, in which it is housed.

Those passing over Westminster Bridge can now spot a colour-scheme change, along with the restoration of the decorative symbols of the UK which adorn the clock tower.

For decades, the clock dials and the stonework surrounding them were painted in many layers of black paint that became synonymous with Big Ben.

Experts believe the colour scheme was chosen in the 1930s to mask the effects of pollution but, returning to the original vision by Parliament’s architects Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin, the clock has since been updated.

Work is due to be completed in 2022 – a year later than expected, with delays caused by the pandemic.