AFTER months without public toilets Marlborough the ribbon has been cut on new facilities.

Mayor Cllr Mervyn Hall opened the new £20,000 conveniences at the town hall.

And a second in George Lane car park is being refurbished and will open later this year.

Cllr Hall said: “There used to be toilets at the town hall downstairs years ago but they were vandalised and in a state so were closed.

“We have a list of projects for the town and we wanted to refurbish the old ones but at the same time make better use of the space with a store room.”

Accompanying Cllr Hall were former mayors Nick and Edwina Fogg, who campaigned for the toilets to be re-opened.

Town clerk Shelley Parker said the new toilet is suitable for disabled users and also has baby changing facilities and will be open from 6am to 8pm daily, at a charge of 20p.

“Having clean public toilets improves the image of the town,” said Cllr Hall, “not just for visitors but for locals as well. The 20p charge means we can pay for the toilets to be kept clean and serviced.”

He said the toilets in George Lane Car Park would be re-opened once the builders had signed off the work, which will include a new community room and a small Tourist Information Point.

“We will be employing a tourism officer,” said Cllr Hall, “The position will be part-time and their role will be to promote the town to visitors.”

Marlborough Town Council is funding the toilets after the ones at Chantry Lane were closed in 2017 and sold by Wiltshire Council.

Cllr Hall said: “We’re really pleased to be opening this new facility in the centre of town.

“Having high quality public toilets is vital for the health and wellbeing of our town.”

He said Marlborough is part of the Great West Way project and a destination for tourists.