A COMMUNITY has launched a campaign to save a public toilet which has fallen victim to Sheffield Council cuts.
Residents and councillors in Chapeltown are battling plans to shut the loos – which underwent an £80,000 refurbishment less than three years ago.
The lavatory is one of seven in the city set to shut as Sheffield Council makes £50million cuts to its budget.
The council has approved the closure of Chapeltown, Bradfield, Rivelin Post Office, Abbey Lane, Meadowhead, Fox House and Burngreave public toilets.
It promised to protect facilities in parks – but although Chapeltown’s are the nearest to the park they were not saved.
Parish councillor David Pepper said: “Residents want to keep it open, I think everyone in Chapeltown wants to keep it open.
“It’s a very well-used facility. It’s right next to the park and there are no toilets in the park, so if people are enjoying a day out they’d have nowhere to go.”
Ecclesfield Parish Council called wants to look into the possibility of making the toilets a community-run facility.
Mr Pepper said: “As a parish council we are looking at whether there is some way we can help or take it over, but it all depends on the finances.
“There has been no official dialogue from the council, we’re just hearing about all these cuts they are reeling off.
“It’s hard because there are a lot of services the council are cutting and the community can’t afford to keep them all going.
“Things seem to have been hit rather badly in the north of Sheffield.”
Colin Taylor, a former city councillor and local resident, said: “Just a few years ago, Chapeltown toilets were given a complete refurbishment – something that had been lacking for years.
“To close them down simply doesn’t make sense.”
He added that the investment in the toilets was likely to ‘go to waste’.
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