A BAR in Worcester city centre has been given £5,000 to refurbish its famous clock.

RSVP, on The Cross, is currently surrounded by scaffolding while restoration work takes place on the grade II*-listed building's stonework.

The bar has also submitted a planning application to Worcester City Council to break through an existing wall to make its toilets bigger, better and more accessible.

There are also plans to create a drinking area outside that will entail railings being installed as well as some resurfacing work when the place is refitted to join the Slug and Lettuce chain. It is due to open on Monday, July 2.

The £5,000 grant to get the clock working again was awarded by Worcester City Council from its historic buildings grant scheme in February this year.

The grant scheme is an initiative between the city council and English Heritage and aims to restore buildings in the conservation area of Foregate Street and The Tything.

The project will last three years and the grants can cover up to 50 per cent of the costs, up to a maximum of £15,000. They will not fund routine maintenance, adaptations, conversions or modernisations, unless they are a part of overall restoration and repair work.