Repairs to Bexhill's seafront fountain could cost 'almost '£1 million'

The fountain was closed in 2019 after suffering a series of breakdowns over two years, stopping them from running.

Cllr Hazel Timpe, Rother District Council’s portfolio holder for sport and leisure, communities, culture and tourism, said: “The malfunctioning of the fountains was apparent in 2017 and it was reported that as many as five contractors were involved with design/procurement and installation, with reluctance to accept liability for ongoing repairs.

"In 2019, with great concern the members of the new administration, following officers’ advice, made the unpopular but responsible decision to close the fountains. Rother has been accused since then of not caring about fixing them. This simply is not true.”

She said fixing the attraction was not an ‘easy task’ and added that a resident’s Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the council revealed that a structural survey in 2018 outlined ‘severe problems’, the most serious of which was that the wrong plastic had been used in construction.

Surveys also found the attraction’s underground water tank was leaking and indicated a strong possibility that the pipes that feed the feature and return water to the tank were also leaking.

Cllr Timpe said: “A full investigation of what it would cost to rectify the situation was undertaken in the hope we could have the fountains back in the summer of 2020. In March 2020 Covid struck and everything ground to a halt for a while.

“However, the investigation revealed that the costs to the taxpayer would be approximately £350,000, which subsequently rose to £600,000 and now is estimated to be just under £1 million.”

The original water fountain was installed as part of Bexhill’s seafront regeneration project in 2011, which saw improvements made to the area surrounding the Colonnade and the De La Warr Pavilion.

Cllr Timpe said: “Rother Alliance is committed to the health and wellbeing of our residents and we know how much families enjoyed the fun of seeing their little ones splashing about in the fountains. We want to find a solution and as the Cabinet member for tourism, communities and leisure rest assured I shall do everything I can to find one we can afford and one that our children can once again enjoy.”