LUDLOW Town Council has lost the chance to have a historic water fountain in Castle Gardens repaired by the civic society.

The work, that would have cost more than £10,000, will now either have to go undone or be undertaken by Ludlow Town Council at the expense of the council tax payer.

After a prolonged delay in getting approval from the town council to get on with the work the civic society says that it cannot wait any longer and has had to return donations that have come from as far afield as Canada.

It was in July last year that Tony Mahalski of Ludlow Civic Society promised to get the work done with the idea that the fountain could be up and running again by Christmas.

But Ludlow Town Council had other ideas and poured cold water on the scheme in September 2014 when they said that more information was needed.

This was despite being told by Mr Mahalski that the cost of repair had been found and that Severn Trent has agreed to make a free connection.

Further details were provided along with a memorandum of understanding and a method statement.

A special group was set up to oversee the project made up of: Dan Lloyd, chairman of Ludlow Civic Society; Colin Richards, a consultant and expert in heritage restoration; and Stephen Treasure of Treasure and Son.

It had appeared that the way was clear for the restoration to go ahead but then earlier this year the town council decided again that it needed more information.

The town council also wanted to have one of its members included on the project group leading the restoration.

An April deadline was set by the civic society for approval from the town council and when this passed it was decided to return the donations and withdraw from the project.

“It is a great shame because part of Ludlow’s heritage could have been restored at no cost to the council,” said Mr Mahalski.

“Donations had been received from people in the town and other parts of the world but it reached the stage when enough was enough and we just had to return the money.”

Ludlow Town Council has said that it is grateful for the offer from the civic society but as it is responsible for the fountain it needs to be satisfied about how the work would be done and about any future costs to the town.

At the annual town meeting, Gina Wilding, Ludlow’s town clerk, said delays had also resulted from the fact that where the fountain is located is within a ‘designated ancient monument.’

The fountain was donated to the town in 1908 by George Woodhouse who was a mayor of Ludlow and prominent businessmen whose activities included being a druggist, seeds man, registered dentist, as well as registrar of births, marriages and deaths.

He also found the time to service as mayor between 1907 and 1911.

It had been the responsibility of successive Ludlow Town Council’s but was not maintained and was allowed to deteriorate.