Nearly two thousand residents have signed a petition to save the cascading fountain, stream and trees in the Bishopric, located between the Lynd Cross and Green Dragon public houses.
This peaceful spot, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, was thoughtfully landscaped by the previous Conservative council and has become a valued feature of the town centre.
Now, however, the Liberal Democrat–run Horsham District Council is pressing ahead with plans to demolish the fountain, ignoring the clear views of local people. The scheme would replace the area with a cycle lane linking Springfield Road to Worthing Road, as part of the council’s so-called “modernisation” strategy for Horsham town centre. Once again - just as with the 300% parking charge increase - the Liberal Democrat council is refusing to listen to local residents.
The Bishopric stream is a small oasis in a busy part of town. Removing it would strip the area of its character and destroy the calm atmosphere it creates. Its design helps reduce noise from the main road, provides welcome shade and cooling during hot weather, and offers a safe, informal place for children to play. Residents have also raised serious concerns about
the safety of mixing cyclists and pedestrians in this space, describing the proposal as “dangerous” (BBC News, 24 September 2025).
This plan is yet another example of the Liberal Democrats wasting council taxpayers’ money while riding roughshod over local opinion. Conservatives have already successfully campaigned to stop the Lib Dems ripping out the cobbles in the historic Carfax, and will continue to hold them to account and keep up the pressure until they reverse course on this damaging proposal.
