Highland Council has been forced to close Dingwall’s public toilets indefinitely due to vandals.
The facilities – the only ones in Dingwall – are located on Ormidale Place and are a short distance from the bustling High Street.
Vandals targeted the premises, even flooding them, and the council say the building is now “unfit for use”.
The council has announced the toilets will be closed immediately to the public.
Amenity Services manager Debbie Sutton said the toilets are a “considerable mess”.
At a similar time last year, Highland Council had to issue a public plea following a significant increase in vandalism to council property.
‘We are so disappointed.’
This was after The Gathering Place in Inverness had been graffitied just days after opening to the public.
Ms Sutton said: “Unfortunately, due to vandalism we have had to close the Dingwall public conveniences with immediate effect.
“As a service, we are so disappointed with the way in which this facility and other public toilets in the region are being treated.
“As has occurred at other sites where ongoing vandalism is an issue, we have instructed an immediate closure at Dingwall due to the site being currently unfit for use.
“The council will not be reopening these facilities for the foreseeable future as repairs cannot be made until we are satisfied that the daily threat of vandalism is reduced.”
Ms Sutton also notes that some facilities are operated by local communities and that vandals are “damaging the efforts of their own families, friends, and neighbours”.
The council is urging anyone who sees vandalism to report it to Police Scotland or Crimestoppers.
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