Council opens two sets of new public toilets in Derbyshire park and popular beauty spot

Derbyshire Dales District Council has opened new public loos in Ashbourne Park and at Artists' Corner in Matlock Dale.

This comes after the council took back the operation of the public toilets at Monsal Head last year – one of 10 facilities announced for closure in 2017 by the previous Conservative administration in a rationalisation measure designed to save almost £213,000 a year.

Ashbourne Park and Matlock Dale toilets, which were among the sites closed in 2018, have now been replaced by single accessible unisex toilets.

It follows a review of toilet provision across the Dales actioned by the District Council's Progressive Alliance leadership of Liberal Democrats, Labour and Green councillors.

The Ashbourne facility, supported by a payment of up to £5,000 offered by Ashbourne Town Council to assist with the running costs, opened this week, and the Artists' Corner facility has been available for several weeks on a seasonal basis to the end of October

The Council is also supporting financially the opening up to the public of toilets at Darley Dale's Whitworth Centre and is renewing its Community Toilet Scheme, which provides local businesses and parish councils with a financial incentive to provide toilet facilities.