The toilets in the Upper Precinct were closed last year after
scores of complaints about their filthy condition. Councillors decided
that because of their design it was impossible to make improvements to
bring them up to modern standards.
Since then, people needing to go to toilet have been forced to use
temporary facilities by the Barracks car park.
Now the City Centre Company, which is responsible for managing the
facilities in Coventry’s shopping area, is looking at further
options with the city council.
Chief
executive Liz Millett said it was vital to offer improved amenities to
attract visitors into the city centre.
She told members of the city council’s Economic Regeneration
Policy Team that it was a difficult issue they had to resolve before
shoppers went elsewhere.
She said:
"We must find a location for permanent city centre
toilets."
City council leader John Fletcher said the solution may be to
charge people for their use.
He said:
"Free toilets these days, whatever city you go to, tend to
be at the level of the toilets we used to have in the city centre.
"I don’t believe people would object to paying a small fee
if there was a high standard.
"The sites are distinctly limited. The reason why the ones
in the Upper Precinct were closed was because it was impossible to
maintain them in a proper way because of the way they were built.
"We need to look at this with some urgency."
