Venues

When Janet Martin spent £70,000 buying an old public loo with dreams of Making It a tiny theatre, she knew she wasn't throwing money down the toilet.

This Was More Than spending pennies for the art-loving former nurse: Janet, 67, wanted to feel " energised" and give something to a community that's ranked As One of Wales' most deprived.

Comedians, singers, bands and poets are among the acts who now play one of the UK's smallest Venues - More compact than many living rooms - every month.

" I can't wait to Get Up Every Day , that is better than some fancy salary to me, " She Said .

Janet's is no bog standard toilet transformation and is one of The Hundreds of former public conveniences sold off by cash-strapped councils across the UK every year.

BBC Homes Under The Hammer property expert Martin Roberts isn't surprised developers have a lav affair with old loos, because they've got many attractions some savvy investors are after.

Campaigners, though, say there is a crisis in public lavatory provision with " unprecedented low levels" because local authorities want save money due to funding cuts.

Now many disused WCs have been turned into swanky bars, hip coffee shops or homes, while one old.

But Janet's restroom redevelopment, paid for after inheritance from her aunt, takes Centre Stage for being special.

She loved the " beautiful" Edwardian Grade-II listed building in South Wales and felt it was an " eyesore" going to waste. So she splashed Out £15,000 - £11,000 over guide Price - to buy it from Newport council.

Janet plunged £55,000 into revamping The Derelict gentleman's convenience in the Pill area of The City into the Phyllis Maud Performance Space, named After Her aunt, who died aged 96 in 2017.

She told the that it had had no roof and was left in disrepair for 10 Years .

" I did have to spend an awful lot of money to get to this point. Now it's the smallest performance space in Wales. "

Janet's outhouse overhaul took about a year to complete. The 35-capacity, 600 sq ft (55 sq m) venue opened in 2019 and is used regularly by entertainers and community groups.

" I can't wait to Get Up Every Day . . to Get Up and feel energised, " She Said . " That's how I Want It to stay. "

A pocket-sized stage and a subterranean studio flat underneath a London street are among the More elaborate examples, but toilet makeovers are More commonly turned into eateries, bars or coffee shops.

On The Other side of Newport from Janet's theatre is a convenience-cum-cafe on top of a ridge that has panoramic views over a nature reserve and rolling Welsh hills.

" This is probably The Best view I've had from a toilet block in my entire life, " said one customer.

About £160,000 was spent on converting the old loos at Ridgeway into a Coffee Shop about the size of five Car Parking spaces, which is being extended to seat 75 people to serving their growing clientele coffee, cakes and sandwiches.

" It's been transformed Into Something that's been used, " said John Lavender, the former pub landlord who runs The Ridgeway Cafe, which opened in 2015.

" It's a destination, it's good for The Locals so everyone's a Winner - and there's plenty of Fresh Air . "

So why have some developers been bursting to convert old loos?

" You've definitely got that that three word thing and that's location, location, location, " said Martin Roberts , who has presented hit BBC show Homes Under The Hammer for almost 20 years.

" They're generally where people will be, in extraordinarily brilliant locations - and in places where you would never get planning permission for a new building.

" So people get creative and use a bit of ingenuity and look at what that space could be.

" At first glance, it's a completely bonkers idea, but if you can get over the fact they were previously a toilet, the sky can be The Limit - and I've seen some extraordinary transformations. "

But the " lovely and ornate" restrooms restyled by Janet were a tricky sell for auctioneer Paul Fosh, as The Building 's historic listed status meant restrictions to any renovations and The Lot had no outside space.

Yet its final act as a mini-theatre is a " great idea" according to Martin, and has " helped form some urban regeneration which has has helped lift an area".

Some property developers, though, have been feeling flush and spending big, with one near Janet's theatre going for.

" If you bought a nearby retail unit with the same square footage, it would have cost a little bit More , so you could argue for the footprint, it wasn't expensive, " said auctioneer Paul, who sold the toilet block for £75,000.

" Buyers are being More entrepreneurial and willing to take chances and because of that I think old public toilets have become More expensive. "

But The Boom in old bathroom buys has left a " crisis" in the lack Public Toilet facilities as struggling councils, who have no legal requirement to provide access to lavatories, sell off former WCs to make some money.

and The British Toilet Association (BTO feels authorities have a " moral responsibility" to help solve a Public Health issue.

Had The Number of public toilets maintained by your council gone up or down in 2018? Use our map below to find Out .

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" We Are appalled at the total lack of funding over many years and extremely concerned at the closures and unprecedented low levels of Public Toilet facilities, " said Raymond Martin of the BTO.

" And anyone suffering with an accessibility issue or those caring for someone who has limited mobility or a medical condition is socially excluded and potentially deemed prisoners in their own homes. "

Source of news: bbc.com