Liverpool Council cannot afford to restore the historic Steble Fountain on William Brown Street to working order, despite assessments being carried out to get water flowing again.
The fountain has been dry since a short burst in 2021, having previously been switched off for 10 years. It was built almost 150 years ago on the orders of former Mayor of Liverpool Richard Steble.
Repairs deemed too expensive
In 2021, cabinet members said they wanted to see the fountain return to its “former glory.” However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service can reveal that the work has now been deemed too expensive.
Cllr Nick Small, Liverpool Council cabinet member for growth and economy, said: “The council has undertaken a series of surveys carried out by a specialist contractor to assess the condition of the fountain and identify the scope of any potential repair works.
“While it was initially anticipated that the required repairs could be undertaken in a relatively straightforward manner and within a reasonable budget, the findings of these surveys have indicated otherwise.
“The contractor has concluded that repairing the fountain would necessitate significant excavation works within the surrounding public realm. As a result, the scale and complexity of the works are substantially greater than originally expected and would incur a significant cost.
“At present, this level of expenditure is not accommodated within the council’s existing capital programme.”
History of the fountain
Situated in front of the Walker Art Gallery, the fountain was completed in 1879. It was donated to the city by Lt Col Richard Fell Steble, a former Mayor who gave £1,000 for a fountain to be built on the site.
The fountain, close to Wellington’s Column, was created after locals protested about the rubbish-strewn state of the last remaining patch of ground in the city’s newly created “culture quarter.” That year, a crowd of VIPs gathered to watch the mayor, Sir Thomas Bland Royden, switch on the fountain with a silver key.
Water pressure was very low, so the fountain was linked to a steam pump in nearby St George’s Hall. Judges ordered it to be turned off after the pulsating water disrupted court proceedings.
Previous refurbishment
Before 2021, the last refurbishment was carried out in 2013, when £16,000 was spent to repair the heads where water flows and it was given a new paint job to combat wear and tear. That was the first upgrade since 1993.
Assessments have been carried out in the years since to establish the viability of restoring the fountain, but it now appears budgets may have turned the taps off for the foreseeable future.
