Flowing water will not now be returned to a Victorian fountain in East Oxford.

But members of Oxford City Council's east area parliament, who last week withdrew their support for restoring water to the 19th century fountain at The Plain, are now planning to install two brand new drinking fountains in the area instead.

Nuala Young, committee chairman, said: "We were advised by English Heritage and other people that to put piping and plumbing through the fountain would damage its fabric.

"We had to then opt for either keeping the fabric as it was, or running water.

"The other reason was that at the moment it would be dangerous to attract people across at that point."

Now the committee, which had voted in September 2007 to get water flowing again, is investigating other possible sites for drinking water fountains.

Mrs Young said: "We think it is quite important to have water fountains and one of the places we were thinking about was Manzil Way and perhaps Dawson Street."

She said costs and funding would have to be investigated but some of the £14,000 the committee set aside in September for regeneration in the Cowley Road area could possibly be used.

Mrs Young said new fountains could kickstart the regeneration plans which she said needed to progress faster, adding: "It should be decorative and stylish and an asset, as well as providing water."

The fountain, which was built in 1899 as a late tribute to Queen Victoria for her Diamond Jubilee, was paid for by the Morrells brewery.

A campaign spearheaded by Erica Steinhauer of the Plain Traders Association to restore the fountain was launched 18 years ago and revived in April last year. Mrs Steinhauer said she was deeply disappointed by the decision.

She said: "Yes, there are issues about access across the road but people cross the road there anyway. When I set up the project there was a great deal of local support.

"I think this shows lack of vision and is a great pity."

The restoration will cost £15,700, including stone cleaning, redecorating the clock tower, cleaning and replacing slates, repairing the weather vane and installing lighting.

It will be funded by the committee, a historic buildings grant from the city council, Magdalen College and the Oxford Preservation Trust.