Dundonians left baffled after visitor calls Wellgate Clock “terrifying”

The clock has been a staple of Dundee life for nearly 50 years.

A video by music journalist Alice Austin has sparked a wave of disbelief among Dundonians after she described the Wellgate Clock as “terrifying” during a visit to the city.

In the TikTok video, she explains that her boyfriend, who is from Dundee, took her straight to see the clock - a move that many locals would see as a rite of passage.

But her reaction has surprised those who grew up with it, with many struggling to understand how such a familiar landmark could be seen that way.

The Wellgate Clock has long been one of Dundee’s most recognisable features, sitting at the heart of the Wellgate Shopping Centre. Its moving figures and hourly display are something generations have grown up with, becoming part of the city’s identity.

Rather than agreeing with the description, many Dundonians have responded with humour and disbelief.

For them, the clock is not something to be feared, but something iconic - a piece of the city that feels completely normal, even comforting.

The reaction has sparked wider conversation about how Dundee’s landmarks are perceived by those seeing them for the first time.

What locals accept without question can appear unusual, or even unsettling, to outsiders encountering it fresh.

Despite that, there is a strong sense of pride in how distinctive the clock is. Moments like this have only reinforced its status as one of Dundee’s most memorable and talked-about features.

For many, the idea of the Wellgate Clock being anything other than iconic is almost unthinkable - and that contrast is exactly what has made the reaction resonate so widely.