DRINKING fountains could be installed in Stratford town centre.
Stratford District Council leader Tony Jefferson said the authority was looking to provide free fountains in Henley Street and it was the ‘first step’ to making water bottle refilling stations available in the town.
The fountains would be part of a joint project with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, for a major facelift of the town’s most famous street, after they secured a £462,000 grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The question of providing drinking fountains throughout the town centre was raised by Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Fradgely on Monday.
Coun Fradgely raised a number of points including the unsustainable production and use of plastic bottles and their contribution to wildlife destruction.
He said several residents had approached him about the fountains and provided examples of town and cities which have installed fountains and refill schemes including Bristol, Hull and Stroud.
He told the Observer: “We get a lot of group of tourists groups and school groups and I see them going around town holding bottles – they should be able to fill them up some where.
“We should have a water fountain in quite a number of tourist spots. We need to encourage youngsters not to use single-use plastic because it’s their planet. They’re going to inherit it.
“During council I asked for a timetable but I didn’t get an answer. I shall keep nagging and asking about it at every occasion I can.”
