Plans to change public toilet into wine bar

Bath and North East Somerset Council has come up with an idea to turn water into wine by converting a public lavatory into a wine bar as part of a bid to cut costs.

The council has plans to cut costs in its 2014/15 budget and up to 26 public toilets across the area face closure.

A local petition triggered a debate after which it was agreed that no toilets would be closed unless some other use could be found for them.

According to the BBC, two independent councillors have suggested that one loo in Larkhall Square could be renovated as a wine bar with a unisex public convenience attached.

One of them, Bryan Chalker, said: “The idea is to turn water into wine. I think the council will put some money towards it, it’s a really viable proposal.”

The council has said that should the plan be put into effect, a private contractor would be required to maintain it.

There is a precedent for turning public washrooms into drinking dens. The Attendant in London now houses a coffee bar but it used to be a Victorian men’s loo, customers today sit at a bar comprising the old urinals.