Machynlleth’s long-closed public toilets are set to get a £60k refurb thanks to a swift-acting working group.

The toilets were closed in January 2023 thanks to ongoing vandalism that made running the building “unviable”.

Though the building has continued to suffer from break-ins and vandalism since the closure, a new residents and council working group has now successfully applied for funds to refurbish the tired-looking building.

The news came on Wednesday that the funding from Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) would be granted.

The works intend to turn the brick building in Machynlleth’s main car park into a low-cost and sustainably run public toilets, using solar panels and rainwater collection to help with costs and stainless steel furniture to reduce vandalism and repair costs.

Machynlleth Councillor Kim Bryan, part of the working group, said: “We are thrilled that we have secured the funding towards the long overdue renovation of Machynlleth public toilets.

“Now it's time to crack on and get the toilets reopened and refurbish these facilities to modern standards, ensuring accessibility, cleanliness, and functionality for all users."

The public toilets are owned by Powys County Council but run by Machynlleth Town Council, which handled the thousands of pounds worth of vandalism damage to toilet equipment and cleaning costs from defacement.

Powys has since formally agreed to give ownership of the building to Machynlleth, however who will manage the toilets once the refurbishment is complete remains to be seen.

Since the closure, town businesses have spoken out about struggling to ‘bear the weight’ of providing facilities for the busy tourist town.

Over 700 residents responded to a survey about the public toilets, with 49 per cent responding that the closure ‘frequently’ impacted their life or business.

The funding proposal included bringing ‘community pride’ to the toilets by collaborating with Mach Maethlon to create flower beds and painting a mural across the building with the help of the Machynlleth Youth Club.

It will also include essential repairs to the roof and guttering, installing two energy-efficient showers, LED lighting with motion sensors to “improve the user experience” and “significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the facilities”.