The public toilets on Scotland’s most beautiful high street could soon shut permanently due to messy visitors.
Locals were thrilled last year when Turriff and District Heritage Society stepped in to save the High Street toilets from closure.
But the renovated facilities have been frequently left in a disgusting mess, with faeces smeared everywhere and toilet roll thrown across the stalls.
The society had plans to improve the facilities after securing £7,000 of funding from the National Lottery Awards, but now those plans have been put on hold.
And last night, local councillor Alastair Forsyth said he understood the toilets were closing for good as a result of “unhygienic vandalism”.
The issue came to light after voluntary cleaner Fiona Smith, took to social media to show the state the toilet blocks were being left in.
Ms Smith, who owns her own cleaning business, said: “I give up my time to keep them clean and open them but the last few weeks have been terrible.
“If this continues I will shut them for good.
“I don’t see why I should have to put up with this mess.”
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Turriff was named Scotland’s most beautiful high street last year but the images shared showed sanitary bins and toilet seats smeared with faeces, nappies and toilet roll strewn across the stalls and mess on the floors.
In response to her post, the society wrote: “The news I have for you is that if this happens again, the toilets will close permanently.”
The group was approached for further comment last night.
Mr Forsyth said: “This spate of unhygienic vandalism has persisted and it’s a difficult ask to say to volunteers to clean that mess – it’s a step too far.
“These are not a luxury – they’re a necessity and visitors and locals will now be judging and avoiding the town for the closure.
“Clearly the impact will have a serious impact on the town as there will be no public toilets and it could put people off coming.”
Marjory Chalmers, chairwoman of the Turriff Business Association, said she would be sorry to see the toilets shut.
She said: “I’ve seen pictures on Facebook of the mess and I really don’t blame them for thinking about closing the toilets – it’s not vandalism, but it’s really not nice.
“We fought to keep the toilets for the town as visitors and locals do use them so it would be sad to lose them.”