Dublin City Council may turn empty shops into ‘concierge-type’ public toilets
Dublin City Council (DCC) is exploring the possibility of turning vacant retail premises around the capital into staffed “concierge-type” public toilets.
These would be in addition to the four planned modular on-street public toilets to be dotted around the commercial district.
A spokesperson for DCC said it hoped to bring firm proposals forward shortly, with the aim of securing a service provider and manufacturer this year.
Concierge-style toilets were proposed several years ago by business representative group DublinTown, with the idea that vacant retail units would be converted into staffed premises for tourists and locals to drop bags, ask for directions or advice or use the toilet facilities.
However, in a report from the council last year, DCC’s director of services, Derek Woods, said expressions of interest from the commercial sector for vacant and occupied units had already been explored.
“Two submissions were received from recognised service providers and manufacturers of public toilets across the UK and Europe,” he wrote.
“Neither submission proposed a permanent retail or commercial unit as a potential location, nor did they suggest a joint venture. Additionally, the owners of retail/commercial units did not respond to the market consultation.”
Dublin had more than 60 dedicated ‘on-street’ public toilets in the 1970s
Based on the lack of response from the intended market, he concluded: “There is no appetite or desire from the retail/commercial sector to locate public toilets within their existing units.”
As a result, proposals were unveiled in June to build four modular toilet units at a cost of €5.7m over the next five years, in South King Street, Barnardo Square, O’Connell Street and Smithfield Square.
The units were slated to be installed in quarter two or quarter three of this year.
DCC also said it intended to install public toilets in the recently unveiled pedestrianised College Green plaza, bringing the number of purpose-built facilities to five in the central commercial area. The council hoped to bring forward proposals on College Green toilets “shortly”, a spokesperson said.
Dublin had more than 60 dedicated “on-street” public toilets in the 1970s, but vandalism and anti-social behaviour forced their closure by the late 1990s.