Campaigners celebrate raising £150,000 to reinstate Victorian cast iron fountain

Fundraising started 12 years ago, with money coming from quiz nights, garage sales and concerts, as well as donations made at the memorial service for Philip Larkin’s publisher Jean Hartley, who lived nearby.

A line from Larkin’s poem Water will be inscribed on the cast-iron fountain, at the junction of Victoria Avenue and Salisbury Street, which will have water cascading over three bowls, and replaces one taken down in 1927.

Unable to hold fundraising events due to the pandemic, the group turned to crowdfunding for the final £58,000, but had to raise it all in two months or have to pay the money back.

Spokesperson Hilary Byers said it was a “sprint to the finish”.

She said: “It’s been an exciting last few days as people have hurried to get their pledges in. We had over 400 pledges from at least 300 separate backers. This included contributions from the city council, but most of the funds have come from local residents, small businesses and voluntary organisations, making this a truly community fountain.

“We are so grateful for people’s generosity at what has been a difficult time for many.”

Arrangements will soon be made to install the water supply and electricity, construct the foundations, and bring the cast iron fountain from its warehouse to the site at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Salisbury Street. They hope to hold a grand opening in May.

"Once everything is in place, we shall have a grand opening and invite everyone along. It will be wonderful to see and hear the water sparkling and cascading, as was intended by the original developer of the Avenues, David Parkinson Garbutt," said Victoria Fountain trustee Jackie Gilbert.

The estate, which contains listed buildings by the architect George Gilbert Scott the Younger, was opened in 1875 by Mr Garbutt.

Then on the outskirts of the city he wanted somewhere people could come and breathe fresh air. Inspired by the boulevards of Paris he created broad streets with wide verges and tree-lined walkways with fountains at the junctions.

Jacky Ward-Lomax, who has been a keen member of the group since the beginning, said by the 1920s the fountain had lost its railings and children were climbing on it.

"With the increase of motorised vehicles they saw it as an impediment and took it out to make it easier for cars to go up and down."