Williamson Square was one of many authentic metropolis centre squares however has fallen on exhausting occasions – now folks hope one large transfer could kickstart a renaissance for this key house
00:01, 04 Apr 2026
Friends Hazel Wooley and Debbie Jones have been coming to Williamson Square for years.
It’s a gentle Wednesday lunchtime and Williamson Square is a hive of exercise. Hundreds of individuals flock from town’s predominant transport hubs and transfer throughout the square – weaving previous throngs of pigeons – and into town centre buying district.
Some are sitting on benches, consuming sandwiches, ingesting espresso and watching the world go by – all sound tracked by the melodic efforts of a busker taking part in a Spanish guitar. Drinkers at Shiraz Bar are profiting from the modicum of spring sunshine on provide.
This is one of the city centre’s oldest squares, courting back to 1745 and is definitely one of many busiest pedestrian thoroughfares given its proximity to each Lime Street and Queen Square stations. But it’s plain that it feels unloved.
The benches are previous and rotting, litter and fowl droppings cowl the pavements and plenty of empty buildings – most notably the former Marks and Spencer site – give a sense that little thought has been given to such a excessive profile house for some time now.
Perhaps essentially the most seen image of this neglect is the massive square construction that covers a large section of Williamson Square, however that presently – and for a while – has supplied nothing.
This is in fact referring to the Williamson Square fountains, first put in back in 2004 at a value of greater than £1m – the characteristic as soon as delighted guests to the square as its double arch of water rose out of the pavement, reaching heights of up to 12ft.
Any nostalgic gallery of photographs from town centre will certainly embrace the sight of younger youngsters operating by means of the water on sizzling days – and plenty of on this metropolis can have completely satisfied recollections of a time when this square felt alive.
Those recollections might soon be introduced back to life, nevertheless, with information that work is ongoing to deliver the fountains back into working order.
While the metallic construction is owned by Liverpool City Council, it’s the Liverpool BID Company – a non-public, not-for-revenue firm that works with companies to enhance elements of town – that’s taking the lead on the venture to revive this a lot-liked metropolis attraction.
Tests have now been carried out to assess the viability of the construction and the BID has been issued prices for what it’s going to take to restore and keep the fountains. It is hoped the water could as soon as once more be firing out of the metallic grids which can be lined with the phrases of Roger McGough later this 12 months.
Bill Addy, chief government of the Liverpool BID, instructed the ECHO: “The current position is that we now have some actual costs for bringing the fountain back into use and an annual cost for maintaining it. It’s not the full system that was installed 20 years ago with all the lights and music, but it is the fountain coming back into use.
“I feel it’s doable so long as we are able to get some companions to help it, the price will not be excessive.”
Asked if we could see folks having fun with the fountain within the sizzling weather this summer season, he provides: “That’s what we try to work on, it’s what we would like to do.”
This will be music to the ears of the city’s Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Carl Cashman who has been campaigning for the return of the fountain as part of a wider vision to improve the square and brought the issue to life with a recent social media video.
“It’s a bit unhappy is not it, it now in contrast with what it used to be,” says Cllr Cashman as he meets the ECHO in Williamson Square.
“I feel, judging from the response I’ve had when talking about this, lots of people really feel the identical – that it is unhappy to see the state of a square that has a lot potential.”
Speaking about what Williamson Square could be, he provides: “This has received the potential to be a kind of iconic European squares you may see in Rome or Venice. You could have folks sat outdoors, beautiful eating places – it feels like there hasn’t been a lot thought put into this space.”
Speaking of his own memories of the fountain, the young party leader says he was finishing school when it was installed and operational. “I feel I used to be too cool to go in it back within the day,” he adds. “But I at all times bear in mind folks saying how a lot they liked this space back then.”
“This and town’s feeling back then was so optimistic and upbeat and I feel bringing the fountain back would do loads for town’s positivity.”
He says he has acquired an enormous response to his latest marketing campaign movies. “I received a message from a French girl who lives in France with her husband, who’s a Scouser. She messaged to say he was made up that somebody is doing one thing about it. People actually care about this.”
Two people with happy memories of Williamson Square are friends Hazel Wooley and Debbie Jones, who are sitting on a bench enjoying a coffee – something they have done for years.
Debbie says she fondly remembers the fountain in its heyday. “I bear in mind it being on, the youngsters liked operating out and in of the water.”
“We have been coming right here for years,” she adds. “It would be good to see an enchancment to the square. We go within the pubs right here, there’s normally a little bit of music. It would be good to see the fountain come back.”
Another man sat close by, who requested not to be named, mentioned: “The youngsters liked it, operating out and in.
“Last time I was here a few weeks ago there was half a dozen fellas in yellow coats doing some work on it. So it looks like something is happening.
“The fountain would deliver one thing good I think about. When it used to be on, the youngsters liked it. There’s lots of people who come by means of right here.”
The thought is that bringing the fountains back to life would be a first important step in a wider vision to revitalise this historic city centre square.
In 2024, a stakeholder group was formed to look at the longer-term future of the square. This team has been looking at funding streams, development opportunities and ways to animate and activate a space that Scousers should be proud of.
An initial study stated a desire for Williamson Square to become Liverpool’s “civic and performative house,” yet revealed, correctly, that the public’s current perception is that it “lacks vacation spot” and is “poor high quality.”
Bill Addy hopes that turning the fountain back on will be the first step towards changing this perception.
“We need to see animation in Williamson Square and one of many easiest methods to do that’s to deliver the fountain back into use,” he explains. “Then we are able to take a look at the broader alternatives for redeveloping the buildings across the square and different issues we are able to do.
“This is one of the original 18th century squares in the city so we should recognise that. We want people to be proud of it.”
