A CLOCKMAKER will reset more than 300 clocks and watches ahead of the official start of the summer this weekend.

This month marks 101 years since British Summer Time (BST) was introduced - and it's almost 25 years since traditional clock and watch repair shop Timecheck opened in the Sovereign Centre.

This week, store manager Jason Strong has been preparing to manually wind hundreds of timepieces forward one hour in time for the start of BST on Sunday, March 26.

Timecheck is the oldest established business in the shopping centre.

A former master butcher, 45-year-old Jason took over as manager when founder Ray Wilkins decided to retire.

Jason first got to know Ray when he worked at the Sovereign Centre 17 years ago.

He said: “I used to pop into Timecheck to see Ray and help him out when I was employed as the maintenance and security manager. It sort of developed from there.

“I started out as a master butcher many years ago, but I loved watches and clocks and carrying out repairs in my spare time.

“It just seemed natural progression when I took over when Ray retired.

“He still comes in and works on a Wednesday and Saturday but mostly he just comes in to distract me by chatting. It’s that or we're sharing bacon sandwiches."

Jason, a dad of three young daughters, said the business is "traditional".

"We do things the old way," he said.

“We treat customers as customers or old friends and not as a number.

“I have three daughters, Aimee, 15, Tiffany, 12, and Tia, 10. They all like coming in and doing a bit in the shop on Saturdays.

"Hopefully one of them will like to take over when I call it a day. I have no intention of working anywhere else."

Ray, now 73, said: “To be perfectly honest I was going to shut it down and retire. My eyesight wasn’t the same and the older you get the harder it is to work with minute parts.

“But Jason wanted to give it a go and I had no hesitation. He’s done a wonderful job."

Shopping centre manager Peter Ruscoe said: “I hope Timecheck will remain an important Sovereign Shopping Centre store for another 25 years or longer.

“It’s fabulous to see traditional and well established businesses continuing to thrive and we are proud Timecheck remains an important business to our customers.”