THE future of Andover’s town centre toilets remains up in the air following council plans to set up a new scheme, involving two High Street coffee shops.

Test Valley Borough Council announced it is preparing to launch a new Community Toilet Scheme earlier this week.

The council is to submit an application for “directional signage” that will promote the scheme in Andover town centre. 

The Advertiser asked what this meant for the future of the two town centre toilets.

A spokesperson said that the future of Borden Gates and George Yard is “yet to be decided”.

Three businesses have already signed up to the scheme – Costa, Caffe Nero and The Redbridge.

They, and other participating businesses, will display a Community Toilet Scheme sticker in their window and, subject to advertising consent, signs will be displayed at Borden Gates and George Yard.

The application set to be submitted is for advertisement consent due to the use of commercial branding.

Leader of the council councillor Ian Carr said: “I am really pleased that three businesses have already signed up to the scheme, with others expressing their interest in it.

“This shows a strong working relationship between the council and local organisations, which is of course, positive news for the town.

“Our research has shown that Community Toilet Schemes are operating effectively in other areas and our scheme has been designed to replicate their success.”

However one businessman has reacted dubiously to the new incentive.

Ron Wood, owner of A Cut Above, on Bridge Street, is not convinced the scheme has merit.

He said: “As far as I’m aware a lot of businesses do this already, I know Asda do it.

“The reason why they’re closing the toilets down is for drug abuse and now they’ll be passing on the drug abuse to shopkeepers.

"I personally can’t see how that’s going to help one little bit to be honest, I think it’s going to cause more problems for the shopkeepers – they’re not solving anything.”

TVBC has had a number of issues with its public facilities.

In October 2015 the George Yard and Borden Gates toilets were shut with a notice stating that they were closed for ‘deep cleaning’.

The council later confirmed that discarded drug paraphernalia had been discovered in the toilets and this had prompted the need for the clean.

It sealed off the toilets in the interest of ‘public safety’ in May last year due to ‘ongoing problems with drug abuse’.

The council reopened the George Yard toilets in July, yet the Borden Gates public toilets remained closed, as well as the baby changing facilities in George Yard.

A security guard was installed to patrol and currently works seven days a week, employed via a contractor used by the council.