Community Toilet Scheme Continues to Grow

Bedford Borough Council's Community Toilet Scheme is going from strength to strength and has added two major new premises and helped an existing premise upgrade their facilities.

The Community Toilet Scheme was launched in April this year and aims to increase and enhance the network of toilets in convenient locations for shoppers and visitors.

The Bankers Draft on the High Street and The Pilgrims Progress on the corner of Midland Road and River Street have become the seventh and eight premises to join the scheme.

Lib Dem Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "The Community Toilet Scheme is going from strength to strength, enhancing and improving Bedford town centre's network of public toilets, which is now bigger than ever.

"We are pleased to welcome The Bankers Draft and The Pilgrims Progress pubs to the Community Toilet Scheme, as the number of premises involved continue to grow."

The Council has also provided match funding and support to The Fountain in Bedford bus station to help them to add a disabled toilet to their premises through their Access Improvement Grants scheme.

Mayor Dave Hodgson, added: "We are keen to support and help premises who are already part of the scheme, such as The Fountain, by helping them to improve their premises by installing a disabled toilet.

"We are also investing in Council owned public toilets and the new £170,000 toilets at Allhallows in the bus station will be opening shortly. The first part of the £8.8million regeneration of Bedford bus station."

Chris Johnson, Manager at The Fountain, added: "We are a charity coffee shop and community venue and the introduction of a new disabled toilet on the ground floor will be a massive boost for many of our visitors.

"We are grateful for the help and support of Bedford Borough Council and we look forward to welcoming many new visitors through the doors."

Current premises signed up to the scheme are; The Fountain, Café Portiolo, Beales, Number 13 at the Corn Exchange, McDonalds, Bankers Draft, Pilgrims Progress and Bluberi.

For more information, including a map showing all public toilets in the town centre, please visit: www.bedford.gov.uk/publictoilets

For more information on Access Improvement Grants and to find out if your business or property is eligible, please visit: http://www.bedford.gov.uk/environment_and_planning/planning_town_and_country/what_is_planning_x/accessible_environments.aspx