THE much-admired Comet street lamps in Helensburgh’s Colquhoun Square disappeared when Argyll and Bute Council radically altered the square.
The changes were part of the CHORD — Campbeltown, Helensburgh, Oban, Rothesay, Dunoon — project, which also involved alterations to the seafront.
The iconic maroon Comet lamp standards, an idea which came from Provost Billy Petrie, were removed — a decision taken in the year of the Comet bicentenary, as towns around the Clyde celebrated the little steamship run by Helensburgh’s first Provost, Henry Bell.
The council was meant to decide the fate of the lamps, but they have not been since.
Local man Tony Dance was anxious that they should be saved and used elsewhere. He said: “These 24 beautiful columns topped with a lantern and Comet model were not very old and still in remarkable condition, although requiriong much restoration work.
“These features cost £14,000 each when they were installed, and with their cast bases and Comet models I believe they were significant heritage items in their own right and well worth preserving.”
