THERE was relief mingled with pride in a South Lakeland village this week as its public toilet was reopened thanks to people power.

After 12-months of determined fund-raising and DIY, the Lindale Sports Committee officially unveiled the village lavatory yesterday (Thursday).

Alongside 27 other public conveniences, Lindale's sports-field loo had been doomed to close as part of South Lakeland District Council's controversial cost-cutting policy to take around half of the district's lavatories off its books.

But the village sports committee decided to take over the toilets and has just become the first community group to successfully save its loo unaided by council funds.

Residents all mucked-in to support the cause with cash and plenty of help. Lindale plumber Ron Wareing installed new basins while volunteers turned out to paint the loo. The luxury lavatory has even been embellished with an automatic air-freshener, a bird box and a bat box.

Meanwhile, the former convenience in Castle Street, Kendal, was this week the subject of a planning application, lodged with SLDC, from Andrew Brakewell, of Bolton-le-Sands, to convert the 28 square metre lavatory into a "retail space". Mr Brakewell was unavailable for comment on his intentions.

See our Campaigns section for more.

May 9, 2003 09:00