People visiting Coventry city centre will no longer have to cross their legs if they are taken short – toilets are on the way.

And it will be easy to find plenty of reading matter on the way to the smallest room as they are to be housed in the ground floor on the Central Library in Smithford Way.

The announcement has horrified library staff, whose information centre by the entrance will be moved to make way for the conveniences.

An insider said they feared that visitor numbers would be hit by the closure of the centre, which was designed to attract people unwilling or unable to make their way up the stairs or lift to the main body of the library.

And staff are also worried that the lavatories could be a magnet to unsavoury characters in an area often used by children and young families.

Coventry City Council has pledged that the new toilets will be staffed by an attendant and will be open during normal shopping hours.

The facilities will include disabled access and baby changing facilities.

Leader of the City Council Councillor Nick Nolan said:

"I recently gave a commitment to the people of this city that we would listen more closely to what they want and respond to their views.

“The need for new high quality toilets in the city centre was one of their top priorities and I am pleased to say that we can keep our promise and provide what they asked for.

"We now want to crack on with getting the toilets built and opened so that people visiting or working in the city centre can have the decent facilities they should expect and take pride in."

Cllr Dave Batten, who has taken over as Cabinet Member (Development and Renewal) from Cllr Bob Waugh, who is ill, added:

"We feel this is the best way forward for providing new city centre toilets.

“We have spent some time looking at various options, including a new build or shop conversion. In terms of location the existing ground floor information unit at the Central Library is the best option.

“The information unit will be relocated to the main floor of the Library to ensure there should be no detrimental impact on library services.          

“People have asked for city centre toilets and we have listened and will respond. We are listening to the community and are committed to addressing their needs, particularly on such a priority issue as this."

The new facilities will be managed by the City Centre Company, who are keen to ensure the highest possible standard.

Liz Millett, Chief Executive, said:

"People will be aware that we have been actively pursuing the need for new toilets in the heart of the city centre. Obviously, I am delighted that plans now seem to be in place to get moving on providing much needed new toilets in the city centre.

“In addition we are still in discussions with other companies regarding the provision of a number of individual continental style toilets on the edge of the city centre which would be accessible for everybody and complement all existing facilities and the proposed new ones in the Central Library."

Public toilets near Coventry Cathedral are also to be renovated, and new facilities are in the plans for the Lower Precinct development and in new “super” bus stops around the ring road.

But library staff are unhappy that they were not consulted.

An insider said staff morale was at a low:

“Everyone is unhappy already about Single Status, and this is the final nail in the coffin. It will affect visitor numbers to the library and the staff were not consulted.”