Project under way to make public loos super

10:30am Monday 3rd September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Damian Fantato, covering Summertown, Jericho and North Oxford. Call me on 01865 425429

John Tanner Buy this photo » John Tanner

WORK has started on a major revamp of public toilets in Oxford.

Oxford City Council is spending nearly £450,000 on bringing its public toilets up to scratch over the next three years.

The authority has been working with the Oxford Mail to find out what people want from their public toilets, with our features editor Jeremy Smith being appointed city toilet ‘tsar’.

As a result of the suggestions which flooded in, the city council will be replacing the existing stainless steel fittings in all of its toilets with a hygenic composite material and fitting ergonomic and vandal-resistant dryers as well as providing better quality soap.

Better lighting will be installed, as well as hooks for bags and coats, and easy-to-use locks. Despite calls for a return to ceramic fittings, the city council has opted against this as they are too easy to damage.

Thanks to Mr Smith, toilets in the city centre will be given a completely new look, with fresh flowers, books and copies of the Oxford Mail’s review pages on the walls.

He said: “At last we’ll finally see if the proof is in the pudding, so it’s fantastic that work has begun.

“And please be sure to let us know what you think.”

Related links

Builders have now started work on the toilets in Florence Park which are first in line for the revamp and are currently fitting new unisex cubicles. A disabled bay and a parent and baby bay are being installed and the exterior of the block will be spruced up.

John Tanner, the city council’s executive board member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford, said: “I am thrilled that the Florence Park toilets are getting a completely new look.

“Florence Park is one of the most popular parks in Oxford and it is important that we have quality toilets to match.

“The Oxford public has made it clear that it values the city’s toilets and it is my job to make sure they stay open and that they are welcoming for both local people and visitors.”

Once the Florence Park toilets are completed, the city council will begin work on revamping its toilets in the city centre.

Work on the toilets in Market Street, Oxford’s busiest facilities, will take place in October while the Gloucester Green toilets will be refurbished early next year.

The layout of the Market Street toilets will remain the same, but completely new fittings will be installed, while the Gloucester Green toilets will be expanded to include more cubicles for women.

The city council owns and operates 24 public toilets across the city, as well as running a community toilet scheme which sees nine businesses in the city centre make their toilets available to the public.

The council plans to refurbish all its toilets as part of the scheme.

Comments (10)

11:20am Mon 3 Sep 12

WitneyGreen says...

Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned.

I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...)
Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned. I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...) WitneyGreen

12:55pm Mon 3 Sep 12

Dilligaf2010 says...

"toilets in the city centre will be given a completely new look, with fresh flowers, books".........
........fresh flowers and books in public toilets, are they trying to encourage people to take up residence?
"toilets in the city centre will be given a completely new look, with fresh flowers, books"......... ........fresh flowers and books in public toilets, are they trying to encourage people to take up residence? Dilligaf2010

2:42pm Mon 3 Sep 12

xjohnx says...

WitneyGreen wrote:
Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned.

I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...)
Hmm. Unwarrented sexism perhaps?
[quote][p][bold]WitneyGreen[/bold] wrote: Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned. I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...)[/p][/quote]Hmm. Unwarrented sexism perhaps? xjohnx

3:50pm Mon 3 Sep 12

EMBOX1 says...

Fresh flowers?! Given the number of drug addicts I see using those toilets to go and shoot up in, I doubt the flowers will last long....
Fresh flowers?! Given the number of drug addicts I see using those toilets to go and shoot up in, I doubt the flowers will last long.... EMBOX1

5:09pm Mon 3 Sep 12

mytaxes says...

Shame the toilets were left to deteriorate so much in the first place. Fresh flowers and books? I thought the council were trying to save money?
Shame the toilets were left to deteriorate so much in the first place. Fresh flowers and books? I thought the council were trying to save money? mytaxes

6:44pm Mon 3 Sep 12

WitneyGreen says...

xjohnx wrote:
WitneyGreen wrote:
Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned.

I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...)
Hmm. Unwarrented sexism perhaps?
A missing sense of humour, perhaps?
[quote][p][bold]xjohnx[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]WitneyGreen[/bold] wrote: Assuming that facilites are going to be closed while they are refurbished it would be helpful to know the dates when the work is planned. I also find it astonishing that Market St (where there is always a queue in the ladies) is not getting additional cubicles, while Gloucester Green (where there is rarely a queue in the ladies) is getting more. An odd decision (made by a man, no doubt...)[/p][/quote]Hmm. Unwarrented sexism perhaps?[/p][/quote]A missing sense of humour, perhaps? WitneyGreen

6:56pm Mon 3 Sep 12

carli says...

just clean usable toilets would be nice.
just clean usable toilets would be nice. carli

9:51pm Mon 3 Sep 12

abingdonguy says...

Summertown Star 12 A* wrote:
carli wrote:
just clean usable toilets would be nice.
Just open toilets in the city centre would do. St Giles have been shut for nearly 8 years.
Summertown use to ones in the town hall. Much better than most in town.
Made me laugh "books and copies of the Oxford Mail’s review pages on the walls." What hung on a nail for toilet paper?
[quote][p][bold]Summertown Star 12 A*[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]carli[/bold] wrote: just clean usable toilets would be nice.[/p][/quote]Just open toilets in the city centre would do. St Giles have been shut for nearly 8 years.[/p][/quote]Summertown use to ones in the town hall. Much better than most in town. Made me laugh "books and copies of the Oxford Mail’s review pages on the walls." What hung on a nail for toilet paper? abingdonguy

7:54am Tue 4 Sep 12

oxfordrocker says...

Which 9 business toilets can we use? We were told we had to buy something at BHS.
Which 9 business toilets can we use? We were told we had to buy something at BHS. oxfordrocker

9:40pm Tue 4 Sep 12

WitneyGreen says...

oxfordrocker wrote:
Which 9 business toilets can we use? We were told we had to buy something at BHS.
Don't bother with BHS - they expect you to buy something, and the toilets are filthy. M&S next door has good toilets, as does Modern Art Oxford round the corner. Also toilets in County Hall and Debenhams. In emergency, staff in McDonalds, Costa (Queen St) or KFC won't question people going upstairs to use the loo, and there are a few pubs where you can get to the toilets without being seen by staff (The Chequers, for example, and the Red Lion)
[quote][p][bold]oxfordrocker[/bold] wrote: Which 9 business toilets can we use? We were told we had to buy something at BHS.[/p][/quote]Don't bother with BHS - they expect you to buy something, and the toilets are filthy. M&S next door has good toilets, as does Modern Art Oxford round the corner. Also toilets in County Hall and Debenhams. In emergency, staff in McDonalds, Costa (Queen St) or KFC won't question people going upstairs to use the loo, and there are a few pubs where you can get to the toilets without being seen by staff (The Chequers, for example, and the Red Lion) WitneyGreen

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree