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Calls to restore Victorian drinking tap

BBC David Purchase standing in front of the drinking fountain. He is wearing a balck t-shirt and shorts, with his arms posed behind his back. Behind him there is a white painted arch on a red brick wall. Within the arch there is a cast iron back-plate with an inscription on the trough at street level, that reads Gloucester Local Board Of Health 1863.BBC
A business owner wants a water tap to flow again

A campaign has been launched to restore a redundant drinking water tap as global temperatures rise.

David Purchase, who runs On Toast at Gloucester Docks, believes restoring the Victorian-era tap would reduce the risk of dehydration during heatwaves.

He has now started a petition, which so far has gathered about 100 signatures.

Gloucester City Council leader Jeremy Hilton said: “We welcome this petition and will review it positively. The council will look into reconnecting this water fountain in Gloucester Docks to see if it is possible."

The drinking fountain was registered as Grade II listed by Historic England on 15 December 1998.

The antique installation, next to the North Warehouse, was established by the Gloucester Local Board of Health in 1863 to provide fresh drinking water to locals.

A close up of the fountain. It is a white painted arch on a red brick wall. Within the arch there is a cast iron back-plate with an inscription on the trough at street level, that reads Gloucester Local Board Of Health 1863. There is also a small black hydrant on the right.
The fountain trough is inscribed with the date of its installation

Mr Purchase believes the tap should flow once again.

"Maybe it has to be modified, maybe it doesn't stay in exactly the same position.

"But whatever you could do to set up a drinking water system within the frontage would give that historic look to the docks setting as it is now.

"If our ancestors in 1863 could provide fresh drinking water for the public in those days, then why on earth in 2024 can't we do the same?" he said.

A wide shot of the top of the fountain, looking over the wall towards a large brick building with a painted sign saying 'North Warehouse'. Behind the warehouse you can see the water and boats of Gloucester Docks.
The fountain is believed to have been installed at the request of dock merchants on behalf of their workers

Mr Hilton said he was "very keen to see a number of drinking water bottle top up points installed around the city".

"Remaining hydrated is good for the body and soul and providing drinking water free of charge to residents and visitors will be good for everyone's wellbeing," he added.

A previous bid by the Liberal Democrat party to spend up to £15,000 on installing water fountains in Gloucester was rejected during a council budget debate in March.

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