As was previously reported in the Herald, the Community Council hoped to use the Scottish Government's Town Centre Regeneration Fund to relocate the fountain back to the Town Centre where it was moved from shortly after World War Two.

At their meeting earlier this month Councillor Richard Cowling told Inverurie Community Council members that Garioch Area Manger Ian Fowell did not believe the proposal was viable.

This produced an angry reaction from members with Chairman John Sangster saying he was "not happy" with Mr Fowell and adding that the rejection was "an insult of the highest quality".

The Community Council drafted a letter to Mr Fowell saying: "To find this project will not now go ahead is quite frankly astonishing", adding that the Community Council were unanimous in condemning the decision.

However Mr Fowell told the Herald that there had been a definite misunderstanding between the Council and Community Council.

He noted that the Town Centre Regeneration Fund was a one-off fund covering strategic works within town centres. Applications are required to be in by February next year and the fund was aimed at large projects, with those of around the value of £3 million only likely to be considered.

Aberdeenshire Council's Garioch Area was not initially planning to apply due to the restricted timescale that would have made it difficult to have complied a detailed bid complete with cost break-downs and tenders.

However they managed to compile a more general bid, which included proposals for replacing the wall alongside the car park at Market Place with something more appealing such as railings, to replace the lamp posts with a more ornate variety, similar to those outside the front of the Town Hall and replacing the paving from the lane running from the West Church with better quality stones, possibly granite.

Mr Fowell said that, as the bid was "broad brushed" in nature that there could be room for moving the fountain as part of the package.
However he did point out that finding a new location in the Town Centre may prove tricky. To place it in close proximity to the Town Hall would require consultation with Historic Scotland, as it is a listed building.

He added: "The fountain is quite large so finding another position for it may prove difficult. It would also require some refurbishment, and detailed costs would have to be obtained for that work."
He added that, as the fountain has become an integral part of the scenery at Davah Court, some thought would need to be given as to what to replace it with.

Mr Fowell confirmed that the moving of the fountain has "not been ruled out", and as pedestrianisation of the Town Centre is the ultimate long-term goal for Inverurie he was sure that the relocation of the fountain to as close to its original location as possible was definitely achievable.

The fountain was originally "turned on" in the Town Centre in 1879 to celebrate the opening of a water supply from Keithhall Estate.