Council to spend nearly 100K to restore statue of Napoleonic war hero (opens original article in a new tab)

A local council in County Down has approved £90,000 for the restoration of a 19th-century military monument, following the failure to secure external funding.

• Ards North Down Council plans to spend £90,000 on restoring the Rollo Gillespie Monument in Comber, County Down.
• The council approved funding for Phase 2 of the restoration after failing to secure external funding, with £15,000 already spent on Phase 1.
• The 12-meter sandstone monument, erected in 1845, requires urgent repairs to address safety risks and prevent further deterioration.