£8 to spend a penny so toilets will close

SPENDING a penny has proved too costly for one local authority. An award-winning public toilet is to close after it emerged it was costing the council £8 a visit.

The toilets in Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, are costing owners Dundee City Council 135,000 a year in wages, materials and other overheads.

In 2003, the toilet was Scottish Loo of the Year, for its overall good condition and high standards of cleanliness.

However, fewer people now use the toilet, preferring to use caf, restaurant and pub toilets.

Last year, the total income for the toilet was only 3,322, the equivalent of costing the local authority more than 8 per visit.

The closure of the toilets next month is part of the council's 14.9 million budget cuts.