FOUNTAINS near Basingstoke town centre will be permanently switched off after the borough council wasted more than £8,000 trying to fix them.

As previously reported, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council spent £8,110 on work to repair the fountains near Eastrop Park last year, including £58 for a sign asking the public to keep out of the water.

However, the Gazette can reveal that the council has now decided that the water feature will remain permanently switched off.

READ MORE: Council pays for sign asking public to 'keep out of water' at switched off fountains

The fountains were closed in 2019 for the winter and remained closed in 2020 because of Covid restrictions. They have not been back in use since.

In both 2021 and 2022 the borough council said it was working to re-open the popular water feature, spending thousands of pounds on repairs. 

However, the council has now admitted that a decision has been made to “permanently switch off the dancing water fountains”.

A council spokesperson said that “further inspection found that a significant amount of work and cost would be involved to replace and refurbish the mechanical parts that operate them, as they had reached the end of their useable life”.

SEE ALSO: Council working to re-open fountains near Eastrop Park

The water fountains were installed more than 20 years ago to provide a gateway into Basing View and the town centre.

They were switched on during the summer months and often enjoyed by children playing in the water.

However, last year, the council paid to install a sign asking the public to ‘keep out of the water’, despite the fountains having been switched off since 2019.

The council said the fountains were “designed and installed to provide a decorative feature only”.

A council spokesperson said: “The decision not to repair them provides an opportunity to look at how this area could contribute to the improvement of the environment in the town centre in the future while also supporting the council’s climate change pledges better.”

They added: “There are two water play facilities for families to enjoy, one is just a short walk away in Eastrop Park where there is a paddling pool which is open in the spring and summer months for families to use. A splash pad is also available at Chineham Park in Popley during this time of the year.

“Through the council’s project to create and enhance green routes through parks and open spaces, we are exploring opportunities to improve the facilities at Eastrop Park, which includes water play facilities.”