People must pay 20p to use Newark's public toilets

People will have to pay to use public toilets in Newark, from Monday.

Newark Town Council is putting barriers in the public toilets at London Road and Tolney Lane and will charge users 20p.

The town council became responsible for public conveniences in Newark in April 2015 as part of a devolution agreement with Newark and Sherwood District Council.

A 20p charge is already in place at the public toilets in St Mark's Place and the castle grounds. The town council wanted to charge the same amount for all of its public conveniences.

The town council said it was committed to maintaining its public toilet service and had approved a programme of repairs and improvements which would take place over the next two years.

Town council clerk Mr Alan Mellor said: "The decision to introduce a 20p charge at all of the town council's toilets was taken, in part, to regularise the position at all three toilets but also to discourage incidents of anti-social behaviour which have, sadly, been experienced over the last two years.

"The new charging barriers should become operational on Monday.

"Signs advising members of the public that this will be happening have been posted at Tolney Lane and London Road toilets."

The public toilets at the Gilstrap Centre, which are staffed by Newark Town Council and owned by Nottinghamshire County Council, already has a 20p charge and there will be no change to this.