'Get it back on, mate, please' - Calls for 'sadly missed' Old Market Square fountains to be restored

A general view of the fountain in Old Market Square, Nottingham city centre.
-Credit: (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC)


In the valley between the pavings lies a beer can and a coffee cup, and a trail of unsightly detritus. On top, scores and scores of pigeons linger, defecating in volume.

The fountains at Old Market Square haven't been on since 2022 - but in February of this year, the budget for them was scrapped for good as part of Nottingham City Council's host of cost-cutting, service-stripping measures implemented after the authority's declaration of effective bankruptcy in November.

In the months since, the feature - once a staple of summertime in Nottingham city centre - has degraded. Now, a petition to get it cleaned up is gaining traction online.

"Nottingham City Council needs to protect our wildlife and our people, as well as our tourism sector, by regularly cleaning the stones of the fountain," it says. Aimed at Labour council leader Neghat Khan, it requests the establishment of a budget to cover the cost.

At the fountains on Wednesday afternoon, plenty of people bask in the brief break of sunshine, a welcome replacement to the day's windy showers. But many agree that the feature's neglect detracts from the area.

"It's sadly missed," says 47-year-old Sherwood resident Morus Baum, who works in the city and often comes to Old Market Square on lunch breaks. "I used to really enjoy sitting here on days like this. The fountains would be on and children would be playing in it. Water brings such a nice environment to a space like this, so the fact it's not on is a crying shame."

Morus Baum, on mobility scooter, with hands on knees, in front of pigeons on paving slabs at fountains, Old Market Square, Nottingham
Morus Baum, with Old Market Square's pigeon population visible in the background -Credit:Nottingham Post

It was June 2022 when an issue with water leaking into an electrical control room caused the fountains to be turned off ahead of a planned fix. But ex-Council leader David Mellen said in May 2023 that it could take years before the council found the funds to sort the problem.

It still hasn't happened. Shop assistant Toni Deakin, from Bakersfield, says she doesn't understand what's going on at the city council.

"Where do I start?" says the 40-year-old. "I don't know what's going on. They say they're doing this and that and some of it just doesn't get done. (The fountain) is a bit of an eyesore really now cause it's not working. It looks tatty. They could spend more time on it but there is other stuff that needs to be sorted out."

Sitting beside the fountain while waiting for an appointment are brother and sister Simon and Ruth Broom. They remember the glory days of Old Market Square - and say that they think its current state is "horrible".

"I think they need to rip all this lot up and turn it back to what it was," says Simon, 74. "30 years ago, I spent a lot of time working in Russia and going around various cities and they had big squares like this with huge statues to make people look small, and people wouldn't walk across them in case they got nabbed by the KGB or the police or something. That's what this reminds me of.

"It's horrible. It's soulless. I don't care about the fountain - rip the whole blooming lot up. It was a nice pleasant place before. Look at the overgrown mess down there."

Siblings Simon & Ruth Broom in front of fountains with pigeons and rubbish in Old Market Square, Nottingham
Siblings Simon & Ruth Broom grew up in Nottingham in the 1960s and 1970s and say it was much better back then -Credit:Nottingham Post

"It's awful," corroborates Ruth, 63. "I live in Gibraltar and every time I come back to Nottingham my heart sinks, but particularly here. It's a mess.

"I grew up as a teenager in Nottingham in the late 70s. They had the two fountains near the Lions. It encouraged people. They had all the seating and plantpots. It was great. There was a community where you could meet people. There were groups of punks, old people... everyone mingled. I agree with my brother. I just feel like: What a waste of space."

As they speak, a crow pecks at a bird carcass, decaying on the concrete. It's quite the metaphor for a place one brimming with life - now, in their eyes, a dystopian wilderness.

Over on the wall outside the former Debenhams store are business employees and Nottingham residents Ian and Liam, both 39. Like everyone else, they agree that some pride could be done with being restored in the city centre.

A general view of the fountain in Old Market Square, Nottingham city centre.
A general view of the fountain in Old Market Square, Nottingham city centre. -Credit:Joseph Raynor/ Reach PLC

"It's an extraordinary waste of money to have it sat there, just collecting pigeon droppings, when it could be a feature of the city," says Ian, who lives nearby. "The council want to attract more tourism to the city, don't they? I think it'd be better if they turned it on and cleaned the square up a bit. We should be proud of our city.

"Market Square used to be filled with groups of families in summer - a nice diverse group of people. Now it's just got a not-so-diverse group of pigeons."

"It'd be a million times better if it was turned on," agrees Liam. "We come down here on our lunch. We were commenting on it. I wish it was turned on now because it just feels like it's been abandoned a bit. It'd be nice. It's an attraction at the end of the day. With the beach it would've worked perfectly. Get it back on, mate. Please."

You can find the petition here. Nottingham City Council was approached for comment.