THERE are hopes that the newly-installed town centre public toilets will be up and running by Wellington Carnival.

The chief executive of Wellington Town Council, Dave Farrow, gave councillors an update on the situation at the new loos in Longforth Road.

Mr Farrow’s monthly report to councillors said that unfortunately there had been a delay in opening the new toilet block as a result of a substantial number of “snagging” issues that have needed to be resolved.

He told councillors there were “many still outstanding” but hoped that they would be resolved as quickly as possible.

The toilet block project has been a long drawn out process for the council and there have been many bumps in the road to getting to this point, so last-minute blips were probably not unexpected.

And Mr Farrow quipped: “I had a full head of hair when this project was first started!”

“We are hoping that all of the snagging issues will have been dealt with soon and it is hoped that they will be sorted by Carnival night on September 26,” he added.

“I’m hopeful that by the beginning of next week the contractors will be handing the toilets over to us.”

Councillors later went into private session where they discussed a confidential report about the current contractual position and discussions which had already been held with the contractors.

The new £220,000 toilet block – a modular building – was lowered into position earlier this year.

It replaces the previous toilet facilities which were eventually demolished to make way for the new loos – nearly four years after they had been deemed unsafe after a car crashed into the building in December 2022.

The new loos provide three cubicles, one of which is a disabled toilet, and also contains a baby and toddler changing facility.