London fountains

[loswabs]

What with the summer coming and hoping lost of hot weather, we'll be in need on cooling down. If you'r ein London there are fountains to be played in at Centre Point which is at the east end of Oxford Street, Somerset House and outside the London Assembly building on the south bank of the Thames. Can't wait to give 'em a try

Has anyone bin in them yet?

[tony]

I (and sometimes female partner) have been in Trafalgar Square fountains on several New Years, bonfire night and election nights. The fountains got really crowded after about 10/11 o'clock. Often cold but after a few drinks no one seemed to care, the girls were as keen if not keener than the guys to jump in and climb! It was a great party! That was some years ago, I no longer live in London and I think the health and safety police have stopped all that now. What a shame but I think Bristol's (no pun intended) central water feature is popular on a warm night these days, or so I saw somewhere.

[Hayley]

St Leonards is rubbish for fountains - just a tiny one near the house that I have sat in drunk once or twice!

Never done London. Always wondered how you got home on a winter's night dripping wet without hyperthermia setting in.

There are lots of pictures of people playing in Bristol fountains thanks to Leon, David Wilkey and Co. They look good. Sheffield has a fine water feature too, I'm told.

[DungeonMasterOne]

Sheffield has a fine water feature too, I'm told.

The Sheffield City Peace Gardens fountain is wonderful for playing in, lots of jets you can run through, which sometimes go to about 8' high - but it does tend to be very popular and is very public (plus there are security / safety stewards, which is probably just as well given the number of people who play in it). So great for running around in / larking about, but if you go with a partner, best to find somewhere more private for a kiss and cuddle once soaked.

[dougiezerts]

Here, in the US, many areas have ordinances against playing in the fountains. You can even get fined, in some places! Is there that problem in the UK?

[tony]

Never done London. Always wondered how you got home on a winter's night dripping wet without hyperthermia setting in.

We used to park as close to the square as possible. Sometimes a one or two stop tube ride was necessary, people just smiled at wet people getting on the tube at that station! Once in the car it was fine although I am sure many others did have a long trudge home. I remember a couple of girls, who having just jumped in, said they had to get back to Birmingham.

I was wondering what I did with the ignition key and then remembered. In those days a key was just a flat piece of metal and not an electronic device! I am sure I just kept it in my pocket.

[Wetnoise]

I remember a girl once telling me she and her friends had been in the Trafalgar Square fountains and couldn't get a bus home because the driver wouldn't let them on his bus dripping wet!

Not sure how they did get home, I was too distracted by that image to ask the follow-up question...

[loswabs]

Here, in the US, many areas have ordinances against playing in the fountains. You can even get fined, in some places! Is there that problem in the UK?

It's banned in Trafalgar Square, I think 'cos people would climb up and then jump off. Sadly that's spoiled the fun for the rest of us. Even if you jump in and out for a few seconds I understand you're likely to get arrested. What's that all about?!!

[MJ.]

I went to a concert at Trafalgar Square last year. Even though the Community Safety folk were there, even one in the fountain itself in waders, by the time the concert was nearing the end and the fountains were rammed, they gave in and let everyone enjoy themselves.
Not sure if they got arrested when leaving the safety of their water filled nest but they at least had a good night!

[eden]

There is one fountain in the centre of Portsmouth but it a) never has a any water because when it does people empty fairy liquid into it which causes a mess and dead pigeons and b) its in the middle of an ASBO-signed area where there are lots of police.

Now I think about it, this is rubbish, as it is right outside Debenhams and I would love to see the reaction of old ladies who have just had thier lunch happening upon an orgy of wetness!

[BillShipton]

Hastings' one water feature (apart from the tiny "Do Not Drink" fountain Hayley mentioned) was shut for similar reasons. It got filled with Fairy Liquid every night. Shame. I like a good fountain. Fortunately we have the sea for impromptu soakings.

[DungeonMasterOne]

Here, in the US, many areas have ordinances against playing in the fountains. You can even get fined, in some places! Is there that problem in the UK?

It depends on the fountain. Some are actively designed with the intention that people can walk through / play in them, e.g. the Sheffield one. These tend to be jets of water that come straight up in the middle of a paved area.

There are others that weren't designed to be played in, but no-one's that bothered if you do, or at the worst you just get security chasing you out.

London is different on a whole load of levels, especially places that are tourist draws like Traffalgar Square. There are "play in" fountain in London though - near Hammersmith there's a cute little one with about five vertical jets spaced a metre or so apart, that fire one after the other. It'd be fun to have a model, perhaps in jeans, blouse, and short denim jacket, stand over the end jet just after it last fired, and film her watching the jets going away from her, then coming back again, all the time knowing that the last one is going to come up directly beneath her and completely drench her outfit while she just stands there and lets it happen.

[Lizzie_Claymore]

Some are actively designed with the intention that people can walk through / play in them, e.g. the Sheffield one. These tend to be jets of water that come straight up in the middle of a paved area.

There's a good one like that in Williamson Square in Liverpool. It is one of the busiest sections in the city centre, though - so not for the shy!

-------------------------------------
The UK Regional WAM e-Mail Notification Groups

[andy250]

Theirs quite a large fountain in Piccadilly gardens in Manchester, would love to film some wetlook their.

regards

Andy

[tony]

Back in the early days of the internet, there was a woman, a solicitor I think, whose aim was go get in every fountain in her city. Somewhere in California I think she was. There were photos being added as she "did" each fountain, even the ones in the shopping malls. She always wore newish blue levis and a white shirt. There were also pics of her playing frisby in the sea dressed the same. Her posts suddenly stopped but the frisby pics still pop up here and there. Maybe she got arrested or "told off"!