THE public toilets in the High Street and Warminster Road car parks are set to undergo a £219,700 refurbishment.
The refurbishment is needed as the town council say they have found it difficult to replace faulty parts, due to a lack of availability. The facilities were last refurbished 20 years ago, and the town council say that without investment, the facilities could close in the next 18 months.
There has also been a spate of vandalism to the High Street toilets, which resulted in expensive doors being damaged, graffiti sprayed on tiles, as well as the baby changing facilities being ripped from the wall.
At a meeting of the town council on Monday 9th January, councillors voted to approve the full cost of the refurbishment. The town council say that their next step is to develop a specification for the work required and to find a suitable contractor.
The facilities remain well-used by people in Westbury. In the business case for the refurbishment, the town council say, “Despite the age of the two facilities, they still attracted 23,991 visitors in 2022 post-Covid 19 with two cubicles closed, and 38,049 visitors pre-Covid 19.
“In 2019, 45,224 people used these facilities; it is likely that the number of users has dropped due to cubicles being closed and the deteriorating condition. The facilities are considered a much-needed community asset and during the pandemic, when the facilities were closed to the public, the town council received a petition to re-open the facilities and due to the strength of feeling in the town, the facilities were opened, with additional cleaning at a cost to the town council.”
The plan is subject to Wiltshire Council agreeing suitable terms for a lease (beyond the existing seven years) and a successful procurement process. The town council will also continue to look for suitable grants.
The town council has also made the decision to reopen two cubicles at the High Street toilets. They had been closed since 28th November 2022, due to ongoing vandalism which was taking place across the town.
On a post on social media, the town council say, “Following reports from Wiltshire Police that the antisocial behaviour has reduced, we have reopened the toilets as they are a much-used town asset. However, to reduce the risk of vandalism, the daily opening hours of the toilets will now be from 7am to 5pm.”
To report any problems with the toilets in the High Street and Warminster Road car parks, please contact Westbury Town Council – 01373 822232 / info@westburytowncouncil.gov.uk
