SPENDING a penny in Leyland could be harder than you think despite the council's major town centre redevelopments.

Following a survey of all the town's public toilets, South Ribble Borough Council chiefs have earmarked the closure of two of the town's public toilets including the facility on Chapel Brow and one on Worden Park behind the rest hut near the main gate in Worden Lane.

But people are fuming with the council's plan saying it will mean they have to spend money in shops with lavatory facilities to go to the toilet.

Although there is a public convenience at the new indoor market off Hough Lane, residents say it is not clearly signposted and inadequate for a town serving thousands.

In a letter to The Citizen Jean Abbott, of Albert Road, Leyland, believes the council's move is bad publicity for the town which is currently at the centre of a multi-million pound redevelopment programme. She said: "What a great advertisement for Leyland 'visit Leyland, but make sure you can keep your legs crossed until you get home'.

"I find it disgraceful that the people of Leyland and visitors will either have to queue at one little toilet on the market or be forced to buy refreshments at any cafe that possess a toilet just so they can use their toilet."

At one time Leyland had several toilet facilities in the town centre, including blocks at Chapel Brow and at the back of the former market in Southern Towngate.

The market toilets closed last year following the relocation of the site to Ecroyd Street, off Hough Lane, and now the council intends to shut the facilities at Chapel Brow.

Mrs Abbott added: "Leyland is growing fast, attracting new retail outlets which will attract shoppers from out of town. We used to have two sets of toilets, one at either end of the town. But now the powers that be have now decided to close that one.

"Apparently, there is a toilet on Leyland market, although I have not seen it myself and there are no signposts to indicate its whereabouts."

Leyland Central councillor Matthew Tomlinson said: "Maybe good signposting for the market toilets is something we can look at in the future.

"Council officers spent time monitoring how frequently the toilets were used and the feeling was that the money we were spending on them to keep them clean and vandal free did not justify their use."