Town centre public toilets reopened after temporary closure
Published: Wednesday, 15 August, 2018
Stroud District Council has lifted a temporary closure of public toilet facilities in Stroud town centre.
The Bedford Street toilets were closed temporarily due to illegal drug use and the council vowed to reopen them as soon as possible.
Extra measures are now being taken to ensure that the Stroud town centre toilets are safe for public use – initially, two of the nine cubicles are open and a higher volume of usage is anticipated which should reduce the opportunity for drug users to gain entry.
Sharps boxes for the safe disposal of needles have been purchased and will be installed, as at other Stroud District Council-run public toilets. The situation will be closely monitored and the facility is open from 7am to 5pm every day as of Tuesday, August 14.
Councillor Mattie Ross, Chair of the Community Services and Licensing Committee, said: “The decision to temporarily close the Bedford Street toilets was not taken lightly but was necessary to protect the public and cleaning staff.
“We recognise how important it is to have safe and clean toilet facilities. I am pleased that we have been able to provide a service again.”
The toilets were temporarily closed last month after cleaners discovered needles and drugs paraphernalia there on several occasions. The council will not compromise the safety of the public and cleaning staff so after exploring ways to disrupt the abuse of the facility, reluctantly took the decision to temporarily close it.
The council will continue to work with multi-agency partners in dealing with the wider issue of illegal drug use and will endeavour to open more cubicles.