A PUBLIC meeting will be held next week to talk about the future of toilet facilities in Llangollen.

In April, the Free Press reported that the future of public toilets in the town 'remained uncertain' as the town council sought further information.

Denbighshire County Council is reportedly planning to rid itself of almost all of its public conveniences to help balance its budget.

Council chiefs are hoping that the running of some of the toilets can be taken over by town or community councils.

If this was not the case, then many public toilets - including the ones at Market Street in Llangollen - would face closure.

That possibility has sparked opposition from local residents in Llangollen, including a petition which has been signed by over 2,200 people.

Now, a public meeting is set to be held, giving residents the chance to hear more about proposed plans.

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That meeting will take place from 6pm on Tuesday, August 6 at the town hall situated on Parade Street.

A Denbighshire Council statement read: "The purpose of the meeting is to address residents and the business community concerns related to Denbighshire County Council's proposal to transfer the ownership and operation of Llangollen public conveniences in Llangollen with potential for closure."

An agenda sheet handed out at the April meeting of Llangollen Town Council stated that initial figures indicate that the current public conveniences run at a loss in excess of £23,000.

The transfer of a toilet block to nearby Corwen Town Council has been cited as a template for the process of the transfer of the public conveniences to community councils where closures are planned.

That refurbishment is part of a wider project to improve the facilities at Green Lane car park which has been funded through the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

Scott Felton, who set up the petition signed by over 2,200 people, said: "Llangollen is well known the world over as a day tripper and longer stay destination. It is home to the world famous International Musical Eisteddfod. The town sits within an Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty and is part of the Llangollen Canal World Heritage site.

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"It regularly features in the top 5 destinations within Wales in a plethora of polls and surveys. The bulk of the town's economy is tourism based. Despite this, DCC is willing to sacrifice that by closing down the town's (and others elsewhere) public toilets to save some money, part of the losses which are of its own doing. This is barbaric, uncaring, cold, heartless and defies logic.

"DCC has planned to close or otherwise dispose of the county's public toilets by close of 2024.

"Coach operators bring thousands of visitors to the town and drop off aside the toilets, most of whom immediately head there. Disabled, infirm, pregnant visitors etc rely heavily on such a facility. If the toilets close, those thousands of visitors will be dropped off elsewhere and Llangollen's economy will suffer hugely. Who has ever heard of a major tourist destination without public toilets?"