Fountains switched on 'within the next year'

COUNCIL SAYS IT'S TIME TO SPEND TO MAKE NOTTINGHAM BETTER

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

NOTTINGHAM City Council is aiming to switch Old Market Square's fountains back on within the next year and is "sure" it can find the money to do it.

The water features have been closed since 2022 after water leaked into the electrical control room underneath the square.

Nottingham Labour said in its 2023 election manifesto that it wanted to repair the fountains, but former leader David Mellen said funding constraints and the project's cost meant it could take years to find a solution.

Current leader Councillor Neghat Khan said last year that the council was "actively exploring options for securing external funding" to repair the seven fountains, introduced after a 2007 revamp of the square.