Tenbury Wells Market Street Toilets

It's funny how a story 'matures' with age.

Worcester County Council now say that the toilets were demolished for 'health & safety' reasons, whilst the Tenbury Advertiser claim they were 'swept' into the brook.

What ever the truth, the site is a mess, and however much optimism some people portray, Tenbury is far from back on its feet, but it is getting there and some of the shops that have been refurbished are better than they were.

Also the Environment Agency are doing sterling work on the upper reaches of Kyre Brook, clearing away years of growth from along the banks. I guess they will also be clearing the bed in due course. My only question is, if the water can flow quicker and freer won't it just flood into town quicker?

Tenbury Wells Market Street

The decision to demolish the Victorian Toilets took only a few days, the demolition only a few hours, but it seems even to start stabilising the site is taking months.

At the moment the brook is just inches deep. Why is nothing happening? At the very least the remaining rubble and other rubbish could be cleared. In a few weeks, the water could be too deep to allow work to be done. If we have heavy rain, then the road could be washed away.

Surely some remedial work can be done now!

Tenbury Wells Market Street Toilets

As I thought the Council had planned to demolish the toilets even before they had subsided.

Their consulting engineers seem to have taken one look and said that as the back wall was unsupported (and never mind the concrete float foundation) they must come down.

It seem that no other options were considered.

The house in Alveley that had its foundations washed away to a far greater extent and had its wall collapse was saved.

I have to wonder what brief the consulting engineers were working to.

Malvern Hills District Council have wanted rid of the toilets for ages. It seems that the flood was a very convenient excuse and never mind public opinion.

I guess they will now also ignore public opinion about the Biomass Plant, much as they have about the Car Parking charges!

Tenbury Wells Market Street Toilets

Malvern District Council do have some funny ideas.

Their web site states:-

Public Conveniences

The following public convenience are the responsibility of Malvern Hills District Council and are cleaned frequently.

Market Street (currently closed due to long term flood damage)– Tenbury Wells.

I think that they are a little more than Closed. Have they already forgotten that they destroyed them.

Destruction of Tenbury Wells Toilets

I see that my story has been picked up by the Shropshire Star.

http://www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2007/07/flood-hit-toilets-demolished

Destruction of a much loved Tenbury Wells landmark

The recently refurbished historic Victorian Toilets in Tenbury Wells were destroyed this morning.

Although they have stood for a hundred years and were completely undamaged by the recent floods, they were no match for the might of Malvern Hills District Council.

Ivor Pumfrey, Head of Environmental Services, variously commented that they were too heavy to lift (wrong) they were too damaged to save (wrong) and that they had a structural engineers report that said the only option was to demolish. This document is not yet in the public domain and I wonder how independent it is.

Demolition started early this morning, there was no prior announcement to stop public protest.

Many people watching the demolition (once news got out) were very annoyed about this obscene wanton destruction of a much loved Tenbury Landmark.

Interestingly the Police used "Crime Scene - Do Not Enter" tape to cordon off the demolition area. Very appropriate!

At least the Toilets are putting up a fight. They thought they would be finished by now, but they seem to have hit a problem, although they are not saying what