Delay to fountain being returned to Wigan park as more restoration work is needed

The Coalbrookdale fountain was removed from Mesnes Park in February so essential work could be carried out.

It was being restored by experts from Lost Art at their workshop in Rufford and was expected to take around six weeks to complete.

But extra work is now being done, so the return of the fountain has been delayed while the restoration is completed.

It is now hoped the fountain will take pride of place at Mesnes Park once again in June, meaning visitors to the park over the summer months will be able to enjoy it in all its glory.

Dave Lyon, assistant director for environment and housing operations at Wigan Council, said: “The Coalbrookdale fountain was recently removed for essential restoration work. The work is being undertaken by specialist company Lost Arts and was originally expected to take six weeks, however it requires additional work to renovate the park’s historic features. The contractors expect to have the fountain re-installed by June.”

The replica fountain was created by the team at Lost Arts using drawings of the original fountain and measurements of a surviving Coalborookdale fountain in Ireland.

It was installed at Mesnes Park in 2013 as part of regeneration work to transform the green space.

Dominic Liptrot, from Lost Art, previously told Wigan Today it was better to take the fountain indoors to it could be taken apart and each piece cleaned and painted separately, rather than trying to do the work at the park.