Being left without toilets at Nottingham’s Victoria Embankment has angered visitors to the area, with one suggesting it could lead to people relieving themselves in public.
Nottingham City Council has decided cut the funding for the public toilets at the site, which is a popular meeting place, particularly during the summer months.
Although it is claimed the removal of the toilets will save the council around £32,000 per year, that was scant consolation for visitors worried about the lack of facilities.
“With locked toilet facilities will make people do it in the open," said Collin Baker, 54, and from The Meadows.
“For people that don’t live around here - it’s all wrong.
“Why can’t they put portaloos.”
That concern was also echoed by Malgorzata Plachcinska, who is also from The Meadows.
“There isn’t any facilities- if there was it would be good," said the 33-year-old who works in childcare.
“Children need to pee.
“I think there's supposed to be a toilet close by.”
The Labour-run authority says new toilets will be provided as part of the Memorial Gardens restoration project – due to be completed next year.
Cllr Kevin Clarke, leader of the Nottingham Independents opposition group, raised the issue during a full council meeting on Monday, March 7.
He said the plans to close the toilets would leave visitors “cross-legged” over the summer.
Cllr David Mellen (Lab), leader of the council explained why the toilets were being shut as part of plans to close a £28m funding gap this year.
He said: “It is great news that the Memorial Gardens will be fully restored. This work will start in April and will be completed before March next year.
“Unfortunately, the existing toilets on Victoria Embankment have already been closed and will be removed by the end of March. While we appreciate there will be a delay, the restoration project will provide new, fully accessible toilets.
“In the meantime, the parks team will provide some additional signage to direct people to the public toilets located at the football changing pavilion – which are open seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm.”
Cllr Clarke responded: “We have the situation where we are asking parents of young children and people visiting the attraction to walk over a mile to get to the toilets without providing them with efficient facilities for who knows how long.
“I assume everyone in this chamber shares with me they wish to see the Victoria Embankment and Trent thriving with people during the warm summer months."
Cllr Mellen said the toilets were not a mile away and the toilets at Victoria Embankment had already closed as they were broken.
“It does not seem to be a very good investment to be mending toilets which are going to be replaced in less than a year,” he added.
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