Council to splash out to prevent soakings at fountain

THOUSANDS of pounds are to be spent on a historic fountain to stop people getting wet in windy weather.

The feature in Elgin is one of Moray’s best-loved landmarks and funds have been awarded for a makeover.

Built in 1846, the fountain was restored to working order in 2001 and recommissioned in the presence of the Princess Royal in 2002.

Moray Council has already approved another £45,000 refurbishment of the Victorian ‘masterpiece’.

But the cost has risen to £67,676, to include technology to turn the water off in bad weather and new lighting.

Council officers are urging elected members to dig deeper into Elgin’s Common Good fund to pay for an anemometer, to measure wind speed. It would trigger a so-called ‘splash switch’

‘Health and safety nonsense’

to stop the water if excessively strong gusts are recorded.

It follows complaints from residents who have previously been drenched when walking past the fountain in blustery weather.

The anemometer is expected to cost £4,200, while lighting is estimated to come in at £16,596.

One regular visitor to Elgin dismissed the splash switch as ‘health and safety nonsense’.

The 58-year-old primary school teacher, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Getting a spraying from a fountain in windy weather is all part of the fun.’

But fountains professional Callum ‘Splash’ Gordon, water garden expert judge at the 2017 Gardening Scotland Competition, backed the plan.

He added: ‘There is also a danger of Legionella if untreated water is splashing around.’

The council said the use of taxpayers’ cash was limited to giving a seven-year, low interest loan to the Common Good fund to allow it to do the work immediately.