Pressure is mounting to re-open the Dean Street ladies toilet in the centre of Liskeard despite a recommendation earlier this week to keep it closed for reasons of economy by the Town Council's Amenities Committee. Petitions placed in the Albion pub, the Spar Shop, and Blakes, whose premises stand close by, are rapidly gathering the names of people anxious to see the toilet back in use. Caradon District Council decided to close Dean Street, along with many others in the area, because they needed to save money. However they offered financial assistance to town and parish councils prepared to keep them going, and last month Liskeard Town and Caradon District councillor Tony Powell thought he had brokered a deal. This would have led to the reopening of Liskeard's Sungirt and Dean Street toilets, until the committee decided to recommend to the Town Council that no action should be taken. Said Mr. Powell: 'Traders most affected by the closure have been inundated with requests by mothers and children either to use their facilities, or for the location of the nearest public toilets. 'Not to accept the costs of keeping this facility open is to place our heads in the sand. 'We spend, for instance, huge amounts of tax payers money on the Town Museum. 'More people will visit the Dean Street toilet in a morning than visit the museum in a month. 'Both have their place in the scheme of things, but we should ask ourselves very carefully what are the wishes of those we represent.' Liskeard Town Council is due to debate the issue at its monthly meeting on Tuesday.
