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 Posted - 15 January 2007 : 16:38:27
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A £1 million refurbishment of public toilets in the Cotswold District is due to get under way on Monday, January 22nd.
The Council is planning a rolling programme of facelifts for many of the conveniences it owns.
The work, where possible, will see modern, spacious cubicles with direct access from the street replace cramped, outdated facilities.
The new-look loos will allow the Council to make a small charge of 20p per use. With more than one million visitors each year, the income will help to pay for the investment in improved facilities.
Contractors Healthmatic will start the refurbishment programme at three of the most-used sites.
Work is due to begin at Church Rooms, Bourton-on-the-Water on January 22nd and during February at the Brewery car park, Cirencester and Maugersbury Road, Stow-on-the-Wold. Work at these three sites is expected to be finished by Easter.
Meanwhile, visitors will be directed to alternative toilets at the Forum car park, Cirencester, Rissington Road car park, Bourton and the Market Square, Stow, which will all be refurbished later in 2007/08.
At the Brewery car park site, four ‘direct access’ cubicles are planned. Each user – male or female – will pay 20p to use their own cubicle, complete with hand washing facilities. There are no shared areas and the cubicles are large enough for a parent and child to use comfortably.
The same arrangement is planned for Maugersbury Road, Stow, with three cubicles.
At both sites, one of the cubicles will have facilities for people with disabilities, who have free access to the toilets with a RADAR key.
Refurbishment of the Church Rooms, Bourton, will be more traditional as the toilets are housed in a Grade II listed building. It is planned to have an attendant who would clean and take payments.
Portfolio holder for Development Services & Environment, Cllr Mark Tufnell, said: “This is a major investment to greatly improve facilities for our residents, shoppers and tourists.
“The new loos will be more spacious, efficient and easier to keep clean. The lack of shared areas at most sites means they are safer to use and there are fewer opportunities for vandalism.
“Although we do not have to provide loos by law, we choose to do so because the service is valued - both by our residents and the many visitors to the Cotswolds.
“We are aware that many of our current conveniences are not up to scratch and I am sure that people will be willing to pay a small charge to use new, modern facilities.
“By the end of the refurbishment programme in Spring next year, I am confident the Cotswolds will have some of the best loos in Britain!”
Details of the full refurbishment programme will be finalised later this year. |
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£1m facelift for Cotswold toilets
