'Garish' new water fountains in London criticised for failing to emulate classic Victorian originals

New water fountains erected across London have been branded "crude" and "garish" for failing to emulate classic Victorian originals.

The Mayor of London partnered with Thames Water to build 50 new free water fountains in the capital to help reduce plastic waste.

They will be positioned in underground stations, parks, high streets, shopping areas and business hubs so people can top up their bottles rather than throwing them away and buying new ones.

Two of the fountains - consisting of a free-standing white base with a huge water droplet sitting on top - have already appeared in Ealing and a further 48 will be launched in the coming months.

But their design has attracted criticism from historical charities and Londoners who are unhappy with their "plasticy" appearance, which they say is a far cry from the elegant and intricate fountains of the 1800s.

Chris Costelloe, the director of The Victorian Society in London, told The Daily Telegraph: "I'm sure they will be perfectly functional but they look rather plasticy and as if they won't last very long - which is quite ironic.

"They haven't been designed with an eye for permanency in contrast to Victorian ones, some of which have been standing for years.

"Why don't they build fountains which are both functional and beautiful? I'm not a fan of the design - I think it looks a bit crude, to be honest. It's like a blob of water on top of plastic.

"They should have had an architects' contest instead so they could compete to come up with the most beautiful design."

The debate has spilled over onto social media, with Londoners criticising the fountains for looking too flimsy and being made of plastic - the very thing they are designed to reduce.

One Twitter user said: "The Victorians knew how to design and build impressive and attractive structures. Everything now has to look 'modern' and totally unattractive."

Another said: "Building cheap plastic ones means they'll be gone in years if not months. Money wasted."

The fountains were also branded ugly, top-heavy, crass, garish and lacking elegance.

But The Drinking Fountain Association, based in Kent, said the design is practical and the initiative could set a positive standard for other cities to follow.

"The highly visible design of the new fountains makes it more likely that people will see them, use them and cut down on ugly plastic waste," trustee Paul O'Connell told The Daily Telegraph.

"As an alternative to criticising the design of the new fountains, we'd encourage people to focus their efforts on nudging the mayors of other big UK cities to install or restore drinking fountains."