Caught short? This public toilet opened after campaign forced to shut by vandals
A public toilet opened on the back of a campaign has been forced to close on three occasions this month because of vandalism.
In one instance, seven people were reportedly discovered inside the unisex toilet, which is managed by advertising group JCDecaux.
Rubbish left inside the toilet, built in 2002, has also included syringes, forcing closure and a full clean of the self-contained unit.
The closures happened after call-outs to the toilets on February 2, 8 and 13. A sign on the toilet in Bilston Street, Wolverhampton, says it is still closed.
The toilet was introduced as part of a advertising sponsorship deal by Wolverhampton council following a campaign by Wolverhampton Over-50s Forum.
Members called on the city council for the pay-as-you-enter automated loo, which costs 10p to use. They carried out a survey which found older people in the city centre backed the move.
Group secretary Diane Vukmirovic said: “I think it is very sad news.
“The members of our group campaigned hard for the toilets to be opened and to hear they are now being vandalised and closed is a real shame.
“We wanted toilets in the city centre because older people going into the centre often need them.
“We only have one other toilet in the city centre.”
Barry Hodgson, secretary of the Wolverhampton Pensioner’s Convention, said: “It is important we’re not left with too few toilets in the city centre, otherwise people have to depend on pubs and such, and that would not be very welcome with the business owners.”
Wolverhampton Councillor Milkinder Jaspal said: “It is something that we don’t want happening in our city centre and it unfortunately one of the reasons public toilets have had to close in the past.
“It is something which needs to be tackled before the situation worsens.”
Wolverhampton council does not manage the toilets. It does manage toilets at the WC City Shop in Victoria Street, which is open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
Other toilets in Wolverhampton are at Tettenhall Pool, Wednesfield, West Park and Bilston Market, open from 7am to 9pm.
Toilets are also based in Ashmore Park and Faulkland Crescent, 7am to 6pm.
JCDecaux declined to comment.
