From loo to café? District council seeks to 'creatively repurpose' Exmouth public toilets

East Devon District Council is currently looking for people to 'creatively repurpose' several public loos in Exmouth it can't afford to run - but with options preferably still providing public access to toilet facilities.

It comes after the council's cabinet backed plans last year to cut public toilet provision in the district to help address a £3m budget deficit.

In a major public consultation which saw almost 1,300 people respond, the council divided the loos into three categories. Category A loos would be refurbished, category B turned into something else but still with public access, and category C offered to a town council or community group or removed.

In Exmouth, the public toilets currently being marketed are located at Orcombe Point, the Maer, and the Imperial Recreation Ground. All of them were included in the B category. The loos at Jarvis Close are also being marketed for alternative use, despite having previously been in the C category.

'Unique opportunity' for a café, bike hire, kiosk

The district council has described each of the former public toilets available as a 'unique opportunity'.

Suggestions for the loos at Orcombe Point include a 'café, take-away, kiosk, bike hire facility, studio, eco hub, or community hub (subject to planning consent)'.

The toilets are being marketed with the expectation that the loos would still be used by the public, but offers which would not include the loos will also be considered. The council wrote that 'significant weight' would be given to uses where the public can still access a public toilet. Local businesses that offer a 'retained' toilet will also 'be considered favourably'.

It's inviting offers for long-term leaseholds for all four loos marketed. Click here to find out more.