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‘Thurso had more public toilets in the 1950s’ – plea for more facilities in town





The dearth of public toilets in Thurso continues to irk community representatives.

That just one in the town is currently open is shocking, according to Thurso Community Council vice chairperson Billy Sinclair.

The Riverside toilets in Thurso are the only public conveniences currently open.
The Riverside toilets in Thurso are the only public conveniences currently open.

“There were more public toilets in Thurso in the 1950s when the town was a quarter the size that it is now,” he said at the group’s meeting last week.

“I’ve lost count of the number of people who ask me where they can find a public toilet.”

The only one open is the WC at Riverside Road, with the toilet at the harbour not open over the winter.

Chairperson Thelma Mackenzie pointed out that the toilet at the rear of St Peter’s Church is lying mothballed.

“It’s a lovely old toilet and is in a very central location. It would be great if money could be found to do it up.”

The toilet was last opened as a one-off to serve the town’s Hogmanay party in 2019.

Local Highland Councillor Ron Gunn said it had taken ‘quite a lot of persuading’ on the part of local members to get the Riverside Road loo reopened after a long period shut following a bout of vandalism.

Council ward colleague and Thurso provost Struan Mackie said the main problem is that public toilets are not a statutory provision for local authorities. “It’s not on the list of things of things council have to do,” he said.


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