News / Public Toilets
Anti-social behaviour could force closure of Blackboy Hill urinal
The Blackboy Hill urinal could close following reports of anti-social behaviour, while a permanent solution is found.
The urinal was one of 18 public toilets which was threatened with closure during last year’s Bristol City Council budget cuts.
But the Downs Committee agreed to take on four of the conveniences, which included the ones in Stoke Road, the Sea Walls, the Blackboy Hill urinal and the loos close to Clifton Suspension Bridge.
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The Downs Committee took on the toilets by the Suspension Bridge
However the urinal – which is located at the edge of the Downs – has been subject to repeated anti-social behaviour and now the committee is considering closing the facility while it comes up with a solution.
Just last month a number of images from inside the Victorian Grade II-listed urinal were taken by a member of the public to demonstrate how “disgusting” it had become.
He even labelled them a “public health hazard” and said there had been numerous complaints made about the state of the conveniences.
During a meeting of the Downs Committee on Monday (September 24) Don Alexander, a councillor for Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston, said he had been looking into solutions for the problem, including the possibility of a temporary closure.
The Labour councillor is one of seven who sit on the committee along with members of the public.
Alexander told the meeting: “There’s been some anti-social behaviour happening at the urinals.
“I have looked at the possibility of a temporary closure, which might be necessary at some point, and also the possibility of having gates made for the urinal.”
The Victorian urinal has been left ‘unsafe to use’ (photo taken prior to the antisocial behaviour)
In terms of the gates, Alexander said that, despite the obvious heritage issues with the toilets, something similar had been done at the urinals in Mina Road Park in St Werburgh’s.
He also asked for a mandate from the committee that would allow for a review of the situation and for any necessary decision to be taken at the events and finance sub-committee on October 31.
“We can look then and see how the situation is and whether we can just tolerate it carrying on as it is at the moment, or do we need to take some more serious action,” added Alexander.
“This may mean closing them until we can make a long-term decision, but at the moment they are not useable or safe for people to go into.”
It was agreed by the Downs Committee that any decision on the future of the urinal would be delegated to the sub-committee meeting in October.
Kate Wilson is a local democracy reporter for Bristol.
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