Row over future home of Spalding's Johnson Drinking Fountain

A row has erupted over the future of a historic drinking fountain - with a petition set up to fight the decision over where to put it.

A planning application is set to to be lodged to put the Johnson Drinking Fountain in a yet-to-be-revealed ‘prominent’ spot in the grounds of Ayscoughfee Hall.

The fountain was taken down from the gardens, where it stood since the 1950s, to make way for a Second World War memorial in 2018 - with its future location waiting to be decided since.

Coun Rodney Grocock has now said the structure - which was put up in Hall Place in 1874 to honour Mary Ann Johnson’s role in bringing clean drinking water to people in Spalding - will go back to Ayscoughfee.

That has sparked opposition from the Spalding and District Civic Society who say Coun Grocock has broken a promise to return it to the town centre and that the decision was taken without consulting the public.

Coun Grocock, chairman of the Second World War committee, said being at Ayscoughfee would still technically put it at the ‘heart’ of the town and that other locations were considered at the cemetery in Pinchbeck Road and by the river near The Vista but were deemed unsuitable.

Coun Grocock felt the fountain would not be safe in the town centre at night - with the potential for ‘youths’ ‘climbing on it’ - and that its lead piping would prevent it being used to distribute water.

He said: “It wouldn’t be suitable, in my humble opinion, for a working fountain. If it was in the town centre there would be no security on it.”

In Ayscoughfee, it will be protected by a fence, be locked away at night and have a plaque explaining its importance. Coun Grocock added: “It won’t be under the trees hidden from the public and never thought about.”

A budget of £24,000 has been set aside to put the fountain back in Ayscoughfee - but Coun Grocock said the cost would be much higher to try to make it a working fountain.

He said he understands the civic society’s position - but stressed the planning application offers everyone chance to have a say, adding: “Everybody has a chance to put their 2p in.”

The civic society stressed it does not believe the fountain has to return to Hall Place - but that there should be a location in the town centre itself.

In a statement, the society said: “We note that Coun Grocock states that it is not logistically feasible to position the fountain in the town. However, he has not provided any evidence to support that claim. Furthermore, there has been no direct engagement with the people of the town or the Town Centre Regeneration Steering Group on the matter.

“The idea that the fountain could not be restored as a working drinking fountain as part of the solution to combat plastic pollution does not stand up to scrutiny. There are many examples of historic fountains being brought back into use. Examples can be found in Sleaford, St Pancras Station, Ipswich, Norwich to name but just a few.

“We also find the claim that it could not be positioned in the town centre because of traffic and potential damage incredible. There are parts of the town centre that are completely pedestrianised now which was not the case when it was removed, and at 70 tonnes it must be quite solid. Indeed in 1875, it survived a wagon running into it after the horses pulling it bolted with just a few scratches.”

l To signed the petition search ‘Return the Johnson Drinking Fountain to Spalding Town Centre’ on the Change.org website or follow this link.