YOU don't have to jet around the world to cross a few time zones - just walk from one end of York city centre to the other.

Five years ago, Evening Press Chief Reporter Mike Laycock took to the streets to check out public timekeeping in York. He discovered several of our major clocks were completely wrong.

The Diary decided to do an update. First we ensured our watch was accurate by dialling that old stalwart the Speaking Clock. Then we set off to tick off timepieces.

First we checked the clock suspended from our luxury Walmgate office suite. Not bad. Diary time: 2.32pm; Evening Press time: 2.31.

In 1999, Mike had noted that MW Doran clockmakers' clock in Walmgate was wrong. But the shop and the clock have since gone.

So we ventured further up the road. St Denys Church was wrong five years ago (when it was stuck at seven o'clock) and it is still wrong today. Diary time: 2.35pm; St Denys time 1.21.

Walking up Fossgate, we moved ahead (or back) a few hours. The clock on Rish restaurant said 9.19 when we passed it at 2.39, and when we returned at 3.25 it said... 9.19.

The two clocks on Marks & Spencer matched one another but not the rest of Britain. Both its Parliament Street and market clocks said 1.48 when we strolled round the corner at 2.43.

York's most beautiful building, Splash Palace on Parliament Street, was hours out in 1999. Glad to report that all four clock faces were showing the same, correct time yesterday.

Nearby All Saints Church on Pavement was also bang on.

Readers will be surprised to learn justice is a little slow. When we clocked York Magistrates Court, Diary time was 2.49pm; court time 2.45.

By 2.52pm, we had reached St Martin-cum-Gregory Church on Micklegate, which proudly displayed 4.40.

Through Micklegate Bar we checked in at the Premier Travel Inn. Five years ago this was Brubakers bar, and its clock was wrong. Today two faces of the clock were stuck at noon/midnight, while the one showing to Blossom Street had half its hour hand missing, but seemed to be suggesting it was 1.13. Diary time: 2.58.

Heading back, the Bridge Street building which houses Caf Veranda and Ainsley's bakery bore a clock offering 3.37. Diary time: 3.07.

Three minutes later the Spurriergate Centre's timepiece was showing 1.55.

Moving into Coney Street, Diary time was 3.11; Boots' clock said 2.10.

Finally we were pleased to see that the St Martin's Church clock (left) was spot on - although one side is still boarded up.

The clocks go back this weekend. We suggest that York's clock-watchers take the opportunity to get in synch.

YORK featured on Too Posh To Wash, Who Do You Think You Are and the horrendous Gary Hart documentary on Tuesday night. Is this a television record?

Chris Titley

Updated: 09:10 Thursday, October 28, 2004