Council chooses to allow town centre’s toilet block to be demolished

The public toilet block in Mere's Mouth, Diss could be demolished as soon as October following Diss Town council's decision not to accept responsibility for the building from its current owners, South Norfolk Council.

The public toilets in Mere's Mouth are one of three public toilet facilities located in Diss, with others being in Diss Park and the Corn Hall.

Currently owned by the district authority - which is under no obligation to provide public toilet facilities - ownership of the toilets was due to transfer to the Diss Town Council at the end of March 2018, following an £80,000 refurbishment of the building.

But a structural survey of the toilet block carried out last year found serious problems with its foundations, leading

SNC to decide refurbishing the building would be uneconomical and instead suggesting the toilets be demolished.

Diss Town council has previously considered various options for the toilet block including accepting the building in its current state along with the money originally ring fenced to refurbish it or following the building's demolition redesign Mere's Mouth with or without new toilet facilities.

At a council meeting on Wednesday, April 18, the council discussed its options.

Councillor Eric Taylor said he could see both sides of argument but added: 'The toilets need pulling down because they are in such a bad state.'If we are going to keep the block open we need to do a little remedial work.'

Councillor Julian Mason raised concerns about the effect any closure of the toilets would have over the tourist season.

'It would be crazy to have the block knocked down while we are trying to promote the town,' he said.

Following a discussion the council voted to pass the responsibility of the building back to SNC, requesting it not be demolished until after September 30. Following demolition of the block the council will look at establishing a community toilet scheme.