A BORDERS rugby club’s attempt to take over a council-run toilet block is flushed with success.
The future of the toilets in Kelso’s Croft Park has been uncertain for more than two years after closure was agreed.
Various options, including demolition and a community takeover, were considered.
Now it has been agreed in principle that a request from Kelso Rugby Football Club to take over the running of the facility is rubber-stamped.
Kelso Common Good Sub-Committee agreed in principle to the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday (September 12).
Conservative Kelso councillor Tom Weatherston said: “We had a review of the toilets a few years ago and we had to make efficiencies and it was clear from the get-go that sadly Kelso was going to have to lose one of the toilets.
“Elected members had a discussion along with officers who debated this and sadly Croft Park was the toilets that was going to have to be sacrificed.
“Once we had reached that decision there was a paper that came out, I think it was around about March 2021, that gave options for the toilets that weren’t going to be reopened. One was disposal, one was a community takeover to run them and another was an asset transfer.
“At the time interest was expressed from the rugby club to take over the toilet block and I know that during games we had problems in the park with people urinating around the park.
“If we moved forward for the rugby club to get these toilet blocks I’d accept that it wouldn’t be open 24/7 for the public but at least on training nights they’d be open, during games they’d be open and possibly if the school play down there, which they do occasionally, say on a Saturday morning, they would be open then, so that would be a big, big help.
“It wouldn’t be what we had before but I think it is much better than demolition. So it is now agreed formally that this is the way we want to go forward and now the legal department can take this forward.”
It is thought a consultation with the town’s community council and the public will take place over the proposal.
Kelso councillor Euan Robson, of the Liberal Democrats, supported the bid, saying: “Even if we can’t go back to what we had before we can probably get improved toilet facilities but particularly covering that vital time when the playing fields are in use because otherwise who is going to turn to the rugby club or go into the town if necessary.
“There was also a time that bus drivers used the toilet block and I don’t know if they could be accommodated in some way.”
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