In the summer of 1997 West Wiltshire District Council (WWDC) put out a tender for the Refurbishment, Cleaning and Maintenance of Public Toilets. The tender arose after consultation and much discussion at Council as to whether WWDC would close all public toilets or continue to provide a service. The decision was taken to continue to provide a service, but to a much better standard and for a known cost. What WWDC did was prepare a very innovative idea and put together a tender that would see nine of their toilets refurbished and then cleaned and maintained by the same contractor. The tender process was completed with presentations to Council in the Autumn of 1997. At this stage InterPublic were the preferred supplier, but were advised that the Council's own Direct Labour Organisation department would be undertaking the work. By the middle of 1998 WWDC renewed discussions with InterPublic regarding their tender offer and by the Autumn of 1997 it was agreed that InterPublic would undertake the Refurbishment, Cleaning and Maintenance of Public Toilets for WWDC for ten years commencing 1st January 1999.

WWDC had agreed to provide nine public toilets and using InterPublic's expertise to refurbish existing buildings they would be provided with modern 21st century toilets using the direct access design. The tender set out what provision was to be made at each site and InterPublic started work immediately at Warminster Road, Westbury. This toilet was refurbished into a two cubicle toilet providing accessible facilities and Unisex facilities for 24 hour access.

The refurbishment was an instant success gaining the then highest accolade from Loo of the Year, a 4 * Award and voted Best Unattended Toilet South & West for 1999.

InterPublic and WWDC are shown collecting their awards from a representative of the Welsh Tourist Board and a Director of Cannon Hygiene.

Cliff Carter for WWDC was delighted that the contract had attracted such notice and that the results were now beginning to show fruit. This was a service that was failing in 1997 and by 1999 was an award winner at the highest level.

After a period of discussions and negotiations WWDC and InterPublic agreed to increase the levels of provision at a number of sites and InterPublic were awarded a three year extension to fund the additional works.

Work recommenced at High Street, Westbury in 2000 and this facility was refurbished into a four cubicle facility that had one cubicle as a three bowl urinal. A departure for direct access design providing more than one bowl in a cubicle, but a design that has become an InterPublic standard and found to make very good provision. Finished in June 2000 this toilet was another instant success and proved what can be achieved. Awarded a four star award in 2000 Loo of the Year awards, this toilet has been maintained to the same standard ever since with the awards moving on to five star since it was introduced.

The next location was to be Melksham and Town Square. A toilet built into a listed building which required a new door way to be built into the wall. An existing window would make the design easier to promote offering the opportunity for the additional door opening. With the assistance and foresight of WWDC's listed Building Officer the project moved forward.

The transformation from trouble spot to well used and well received toilets was remarkable, but the dirty black mark on the wall had to stay as patina. Other surface mounted services were removed, including the soil pipe and the elevation was left much tidier. The access area was resurfaced and made more access friendly. Entered into the 2001 Loo of the Year competition this facility joined the two Westbury toilets as four star winners.

InterPublic and WDDC are shown collecting their 2000 Loo of the Year Awards.

From Town Square, the programme stayed in Melksham and moved to Church Street, where this toilet was refurbished to a three cubicle facility and completed in July 2001.

The images show the transformation that the refurbishment gave to this toilet. The direct access layout provides an airy aspect and is welcoming.

The new year of January 2002 saw the refurbishment commence of Station Car Park Public Toilets, Bradford Upon Avon. The original tender called for this toilet to remain lobbied, but it was something of a trouble spot and InterPublic favoured a direct access design. Proposed as a four cubicle toilet, it was built as a three cubicle toilet, but mindful that it may well have to become a four cubicle toilet, the service bay door was set up to take a WC cubicle door at a later stage. The fourth cubicle would later be installed at St. Margaret's Car Park, Bradford Upon Avon where the proposed two cubicles were not going to be sufficient.

The toilet was completed in the early summer of 2002 in sufficient time for the 2002 Loo of the Year awards and was voted one of the first 5 * unattended toilets and was another immediate success. With baby changing in both the Unisex and Accessible cubicles and anti-vandalism installations included to protect against damage, the toilet was and remains well received.

At the start of 2002 WWDC entered discussions with InterPublic about the toilets in Warminster Park. Not yet included in the partnership contract this toilet was to be an addition.

Built into the park boat house the toilet was not very large, had restricted ceiling height and was in a condition that rendered it unusable. None the less InterPublic refurbished this facility into a three cubicle toilet and the park has been much the better place for that ever since. With baby change in both accessible and Unisex cubicles it is a major asset for parents in the park with young children. The CCTV coverage of the building was poor in that it could only see the one side of the building. As part of the overall scheme InterPublic paid for the CCTV camera pole and camera to be relocated so that it can now see both the side and gable view of the toilet.

For the start of 2003, the refurbishment programme took us back to Melksham and Bath Road. A real problem facility, this toilet would benefit immensely from being refurbished to direct access and the removal of the somewhat concealed gentlemen's access. In addition the anti-vandal systems would be fully required in an attempt to stop and prevent the vandalism. Even so the vandalism has been a constant headache and in 2007 the WC cubicle doors were changed to outward opening doors, with stronger locks. CCTV cameras were erected, further anti-loitering deterrents installed and the level of damage due to vandalism has reduced.

Throughout all this time however the toilet has remained at a high standard and we have always been lucky when it has come to Loo of the Year inspections that the toilet was at its best gaining 5 * awards year after year.

By 2003 the tally at the Loo of the Year Awards was really showing what good management and investment can achieve. With five or more toilets rated 5 * West Wiltshire DC was now a member of the Loo of the Year's Premier League and with eight toilets out of the ten rated 5 * West Wiltshire were to be listed as the 6th Best Provider of Public Toilets in the UK for 2003. Given that those ahead of West Wiltshire were Westminster City and Highland this was a major achievement.

For the end of 2003 the programme returned to Bradford Upon Avon to tackle yet another facility located within a listed building at St. Margaret's Car Park. With the frontage classed as Grade ll listed this was to be a difficult project to achieve approval and get going. Final approval required that the local planning decision be referred for listed building consent to London. However the go ahead was given and by December 2003 the toilet was open for Christmas shopping to great acclaim. With a completely remodelled access landing that included up lighting for night time peripheral lighting, new parapet stones and some superb stonework by our long term builders H & S Builders the completed project sits well on the car park and looks magnificent at night with the up lighting.

2004, 2005 and 2006 the West Wiltshire Partnership maintained its position of 6th Best Provider of Public Toilets in the UK from Loo of the Year, achieved its best ever result of nine 5 * awards and confidently remained in the Premier League Top Ten providers.

2006 and the refurbishment programme was to be completed with the decision made to refurbish Central Car Park Toilets, Warminster as a lobbied toilet.

However this toilet was to be everything that is expected of an InterPublic Direct access toilet and was remodelled along those lines. With three Gents WC's all with touch to flush and flush on exit this was complimented with four urinal bowls, all with InterPublic Washdeck's underneath them, baby changing and energy management. The Ladies were remodelled to have five WC cubicles all with touch to flush and personal sanitary waste chutes provided. In addition two baby change tables were installed, each with its own sanitary waste chute. Each baby change has a toddler seat as well. The accessible cubicle was remodelled to meet the current Part M and more, providing baby change with toddlers seat. Whilst this accessible toilet cubicle is RADAR key controlled during the day, it is open at night as a 24 hour toilet facility.

Externally the access areas were totally revised to provide good ramped access and easy access for push chairs. With flush mounted soffit lights and up lighting the facility has been transformed from an earlier description of disappointing to a fine addition to the community.

With the high standards of cleaning maintained, this toilet comfortably provides an amenity for over 12,000 people a month.