Dilapidated public toilets in Shrewsbury town centre have been closed because of anti-social behaviour, but other toilet blocks in the town are set for a makeover.

Shrewsbury Town Council has decided to close the men’s lavatories in Butcher Row after councillors heard that there were concerns the behaviour could jeopardise the safety of members of the public and of staff.

Councillor Peter Nutting, chairman of the council’s finance and general purposes committee, said there were concerns over the state of the toilets.

And he said several incidents of anti-social behaviour had been reported to the council.

He said the area had become a focal point for the behaviour and considering the council’s duty to protect the public and staff, the men’s toilets would be closed pending further discussions with the relevant agencies.

He said: “One of our overall aims is to make Shrewsbury a safe environment for all and any level of anti-social behaviour which compromises our overall aim should not be tolerated.

“We will work with our local partners to look to providing facilities which are safe for all to use.”

Councillor Miles Kenny had previously said the toilets in Butcher Row did not meet disability standards either.

He said: “They are pretty grim. We have gone on about the state of them for years and I think now is the time to get rid of them.”

Members also agreed to carry out a programme of refurbishment works on the seven other sets of public toilets in the town.

The work will be carried out over the next three months with work on the Abbey Foregate facilities beginning first, followed by Ravens Meadow and Hills Lane, both within the town centre.

These will be followed by refurbishment to both facilities in the Quarry with the programme of works scheduled to be completed at the Sydney Avenue facility by the summer.

Councillor Nutting added: “Our refurbishment programme shows the town council’s commitment to providing good quality public toilets.”

By Andrew Morris