New public toilets have recently opened in Northallerton. These toilets are located on the ground floor of the north end of the Town Hall Buildings. The facility comprises three female cubicles, three male cubicles and one accessible toilet with changing facilities.
The toilets will be open Monday to Saturday 08:00 to 15:00, extended to 16:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays to accommodate the Market. They will also be opened to cover events such as the monthly Farmers Market.
There will be no charge for using the toilets, however users will be able to make a donation towards their upkeep. The current Town Hall toilet facilities will remain accessible during these same times and this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Deputy Mayor, Paul Cornfoot said, “We know that there is a significant demand for public toilets on Northallerton High Street from the on-line survey we commissioned in 2021 as well as much anecdotal evidence. This is a very important project for the Town Council, and we have worked hard over the last two years to secure funding and make it happen. Having good quality public toilets is an important aspect of making a visit to the High Street a comfortable and enjoyable experience, thereby helping to keep the High Street modern and vibrant and enable Northallerton to maintain its “coach-friendly” status”.
Mayor Phil Eames added, “The British Toilet Association* has estimated that half of public toilets in the UK have closed in the past 10 years. We are very proud to be able to say that Northallerton is bucking that trend and re-establishing an important public service. We are pleased our new facility is now open and thank everyone involved for making the project possible. ”
As the Town Hall Buildings have Grade II listed status, the Town Council the existing windows have been temporarily laminated to provide privacy within the toilet areas. However, the Council is planning to provide a more decorative style of laminate that will be able to showcase local images or art.
* Raymond Martin, managing director of the BTA, speaking to the Guardian, as reported in The Week (https://www.theweek.co.uk/public-sector/960428/loos-lose-the-demise-of-public-toilets-in-the-uk), 12th April 2023.