APTCT opens newly renovated public ladies toilet in Pangbourne

A newly renovated public ladies toilet has opened in Pangbourne, following years of campaigning by a local charity for the convenience’s survival.

Supporters and members of Action for Pangbourne Toilets Charitable Trust (APTCT) gathered in the Station Road car park on Saturday, April 30, to see parish councillor Brenda Kerr-Muir cut the ribbon to the newly modernised female facilities.

APTCT was formed in 2017 after West Berkshire Council closed the Pangbourne public loos due to cuts in central government funding.

APTCT chairman Sir Brian Hoskins said: "Opening the totally modernised ladies toilet was a real cause for celebration. The work was made possible by the brilliant local support we have received."

After a big outcry from villagers, the charitable trust was set up by Pangbourne residents after the council was forced to close the toilets which have been there since the 1970s.

The trust’s first task was raising enough funds to clean and maintain the facilities for 12 months, which by September 2017 they managed to do and so the block was reopened by DJ Bill Buckley from BBC Radio Berkshire.

Fundraising continued with the aim of modernising the different sections of the public toilets, and in December 2020, the disabled toilet re-opened after a period of renovation.

The renovation that has just been completed of the ladies toilets is the second phase of APTCT’s modernisation plans, with the gents being the final phase of the process.

Tony Naden, who was present at the opening, said: "Having been personally acquainted with the ladies' by being involved in the deep clean which was necessary before the original opening of the whole facility, I was very impressed at the open viewing following the reopening with how professional both the trustees' planning and the contractors' workmanship had been in producing a really decent modern facility."

APTCT hopes to begin fundraising for the gents toilets this September, and they aim to commence work on it by the end of 2023 or early 2024.