If you were walking near the flyover in Watford town centre in the early noughties and needed to rest your legs for a few minutes, you may have sat down at this shortlived, but well-known landmark.

A Watford Observer photographer captured these pictures of the Clements fountain shortly before work began on a five-week refurbishment scheme in September 2007.

The fountain had been installed outside what was then Clements department store, as part of a town centre revamp.

Watford Observer: The fountain had been decommissioned in 2004The fountain had been decommissioned in 2004 (Image: Ryo Hayashida)

The inscription on the fountain reads "built with help from Clements in their centenary year" and is dated October 1998.

However, an article published on this website on September 17, 2007 stated that “it never functioned effectively and was decommissioned in 2004”.

The report continued: “Since then Clements has closed – and TJ Hughes moved in – and the fountain became something of an eyesore and a collection point for rubbish.

Watford Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: ‘Although the fountain, at times, can be an eyesore, it has become an increasingly popular informal seating area.

‘With this in mind we have developed a scheme to convert the fountain into a paved open space and seating area.’

“The proposal will see the removal of three segments of the perimeter well, demolition of the central core and fountain floor and the continuation of the existing Yorkstone paving into the area.”