RESIDENTS in New Brighton are demanding the council replace the popular Vale Park’s public toilets after Storm Arwen tore them down last year.

The park did have public toilets until the storm hit in November, damaging the building beyond repair. But since then a local campaign has been launched to bring toilets back to the park once again.

Sean Martin, chair of the New Brighton Coastal Community Team, a residents’ group, was worried Vale Park could lose its popularity if the toilets are not restored.

Mr Martin said: “The park is hopefully going to be there for future generations and if we do not ensure that the facilities there are maintained it will lose some of its appeal. During events like Joytime there can be 1,000 people in the park with no toilet facilities except for the small toilet in the Coffee Roast Cafe which should be for customers but they kindly allow anyone to use it when possible.”

Mr Martin said he wanted the new toilet block to be a “period style building with modern facilities”, but had been told the council does not have the money to provide this. He said he would be content with a temporary prefabricated, often referred to as prefab, toilet block in the park, but thought the council needed to sort the situation out sooner rather than later.

Mr Martin added: “As a day resort trying to encourage tourism to our beautiful town two of the things we need most are litter bins and public toilets, both of which are not being replaced by Wirral Council and the excuse every time is no money is available.”

New Brighton councillor Paul Martin agrees with the residents’ group.

The Labour councillor said he is chasing up the council to make sure toilets are back before the summer, noting that people go to the park “in their droves” for different events and initiatives.

Cllr Martin added: “We can’t continue to rely on the good will of Coffee Roast Cafe [which lets people use its customer toilets]. I’ve been there myself and had to queue for half an hour with my kids and kids aren’t always the most patient.

“I think it will be a prefab style block, because the council does not have the money for something more expensive. Unfortunately, we have to deal with the hand dealt to us [by the government], but we also have to keep banging the drum of whoever has the purse strings.”

A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: “We are currently working towards trying to ensure new permanent toilets are in place in the park ahead of the summer holidays. However, if this is not possible we will look at providing temporary toilets for visitors.”