People just realising why some supermarkets have clock tower that doesn't work
While we have plenty of modern supermarkets in the UK, a number of big stores exist in old buildings with clock towers that don't have working clocks. Many of these buildings date back to the 1980s and 1990s and boast a barn-like structure with a clock tower that is purely decorative – if you look closely, the clock will likely say the wrong time.
This strange design quirk can be traced back to one particular Asda supermarket in Essex. Following the Second World War, when supermarkets were imported from the US, the buildings they were housed in were not known for their architectural flair.
During the mid-1970s a design rule was implemented to end unpleasant, functional buildings, thus giving rise to these beautiful buildings.
Filmmaker Chris Spargo, who loves "answering life's small questions" online, explained in further detail why these buildings have a clock tower.
The YouTuber said: "So many supermarkets in the UK have one of these, but have you ever actually looked at one of them? Have you noticed that most of them don't actually show the real time? A clocktower on a supermarket, if you think about it, it doesn't make any sense. This isn't a town square, it's a car park."
He added: "Sometimes, if you're really lucky it might show the correct time."
Chris shared that in Essex in 1977, during the construction of a new town, the council wanted to put a supermarket right next to the town square. However, they were given a strict design guide which required all buildings to have "specific Essex characteristics."
He said: "So Asda came up with an idea. 15 miles away in a town called Coggeshall, there is a 14th century barn and a Victorian clock tower." However, Chris admitted there is no concrete evidence that Asda bosses drew inspiration from these two buildings, supermarkets around across the UK seem to be a replica.
"Still, Asda was onto something here," Chris added. Soon that design, which is known as the 'Essex barn style', became the blueprint for all supermarkets. The trend saw Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons stores being built in this way, until the late 1990s.
Chris explained: "By the late '90s, supermarkets had overtaken retail and this design had served its purpose so it's done away with in favour of designs that are easier and cheaper to mass produce."
He noted that some modern supermarkets may have clock towers, but it is rarer to see them being built today.
Commenting on Chris' video, one person said: "Peak Britain, a design that is everywhere and nobody knew why but just kept doing it." "This is something I've simultaneously noticed everywhere and yet never noticed," observed another.
A former Tesco employee opened up about why the clocks may not function. He said: "I used to work for Tesco Maintenance. The costs to maintain those clocks by contactors was extremely expensive and the cost to replace was into the 10's of thousands. The work orders/jobs would get logged but rarely approved by maintenance managers working on tighter and tighter budgets."
An American added: "American here. Never knew about this, but it still is interesting. It also makes me realize how ugly so many of our supermarket storefronts tend to be, so giving it actual nice architecture with a clock tower is a nice idea I would love to see more."
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