York public toilet branded ‘one of the worst in Britain’

A public toilet in York has been branded “like something out of Trainspotting”.

A Labour councillor said the toilet attached to Star Inn The City, which is run by the restaurant as part of planning obligations, is “one of the worst in Britain.”

But a spokesman for Star Inn The City said police advised the pub to close the toilet because it was being targeted by vandals and drug users.

He added that it is being refurbished and due to reopen on June 20.

Enforcement patrols

The business is working with the council to increase enforcement patrols in the area. The toilets are located near the Lendal entrance to the restaurant, through the arch and on the left.

Labour group leader Danny Myers said the scene he encountered upon visiting the toilet during the Roman Festival earlier this month was like something out of the film Trainspotting.

He says planning conditions when the restaurant building was approved stipulated publicly accessible toilet facilities be provided, to disabled access standard, in place of the former public toilet block.

The new facilities were to be publicly accessible during restaurant opening hours all year round, while the former facilities were only open from March to October.

But Cllr Myers said this condition is not being met, saying:

• As the temporary sign states, these publicly accessible toilets are out of use and that appears to be a breach of planning conditions.

  I will be calling on the council to work with the Star Inn The City to get these toilets back open again as a matter of urgency, as I don’t believe it’s acceptable for the public to have to search elsewhere for toilet facilities when they should be available here.

  It’s even more unacceptable that disabled members of the public are being met by such a scene of devastation when trying to use the toilet.
  

The toilets are not run by the council.