Bath Street Loos

[Porty]

I have mentioned this subject previously and i would like to help do something creative. I visited the loos a couple of weeks ago and took some quick, poor quality pics on my phone. Well dodgy in a public toilet but there was no-one else there, or so I thought until i heard a groan from one of the cubicles.

I think the toilet provsion in Bath Street is way out of line with demand. it could be an attractive building, stone faced with windows to the street. It has a flat roof which could be altered to let more light in and so on. Would make a great cafe. I counted and may have miscounted, 11 urinals and 5 cubicles in the gents . I stopped a passing lady and asked her to have a look in the ladies, she counted 7 pots. So that makes 23. 23!!.

There is no way we need that many. It must cost the council to run and maintain the toilets and they are totally strapped for cash. Could some of us, or a local interest group (s) , come up with an idea to make better use of the building? Perhaps retaining some toilet facilitie for public use. Just a thought.

Cue toilet humour................

[rnuwithmark]

Hey,

I have long been baffled by the public toilets on Bath Street. When I was a boy they were usually empty and dirty and they still are to this day.

I agree that something could be done to make them more useful to the local area.

How do we go about this?

I am new to this site, moving to Portobello next week having grown up in Mountcastle.

Cheers
Mark

Mark Cooper
www.runwithmark.com
Ultra runner, motivational speaker and expedition consultant

[Puerto bella]

So when folk stop us in the street to ask where the public loos are - should we direct them to the pawn shop then

[Epykat]

We used to have tons more public toilets. There were some at the foot of Bellfield Street and at the bottom of King's Road (now a pub). We're a seaside town with visitors - we need public toilets. Don't you know that it's different for girls (as per Joe Jackson). Maybe we should leave the ladies side of it and just stick a tree up at the other side for the boys to pee against.

[Bazza]

I'm a big supporter of public loos, and I don't think we have nearly enough. So I'm in favour of keeping the Bath Street loos as they are.

[Pal of Porty]

[Pal of Porty]

I support the need for public toilets too but also think that the buildings that house the toilets at say, Bath Street and by The Fun Fair are massively oversized.

[SoupDragon]

The thing is on busy warm days there doesn't seem to be enough public toilets
Long queues form in at the disabled access toilet in front of Straiton Park and the public get fed up waiting, they use the lane or often head to the nearest doorway or stairwell. Not pleasant for us folk living there

[wangi]

I guess that's what happens when the busiest area of the Prom has the least toilet provision... Even if those waiting there knew of the toilets at the top of Bath St, do you think they'd walk and use them?

[SoupDragon]

Some might if they knew there was an alternative but you're right Wangi. the area where toilets are most needed doesn't have them

But the guy I had words with last Friday as he urinated in the stair doorway, didn't care, though he stopped arguing and headed away as Mr Soupy and Clanger 2 loomed into view

[Pal of Porty]

[Epykat]

We need more middle Prom provision (well served at both ends). There used to be public loos at the side of the Baths at the bottom of Bellfield Street which were handy. Men don't generally bother where they go Soupy - they regularly used to pee up against my friend's garden gate in Bellfield Lane and it would run under and form a puddle almost at the front door for her toddlers to run through!

[Porty bella]

Brilliant idea to transform this building! Have often thought the same thing walking past.

And agree - add some more public toilets to the Prom where it's needed most. And please can we have an attractive building for this! Wooden beach hut style or Georgian or something. It does not have to cost more to be attractive!

Wonder if some local architects would get on board with some ideas? Or open it up as an architecture student competition or something?

[Porty bella]

Another project along these lines for you 'Porty'... From what I've heard Portobello Baths own a house in Pittville St Lane that is sitting empty? I understand Edinburgh Leisure is a non profit organisation which the council subsidises (correct me if I'm wrong!) It seems a waste of money having a house sitting empty which could be renovated and rented out or sold and the funds put back into the Baths. Esp when the Baths budget is being cut each year and with the likes of Leith Waterworld closing this is a concern.

[Porty]

i'm going to try and get the keys and take a look at the building. See what potential there is?

[Porty bella]

Apologies if I unintentionally offended and was unclear re: scabby flats! Think I meant the old shops that look uninhabited and run down, think one is called Singh Da Store and another a couple of doors up has no name. Does anyone know the history / last time they were open as businesses? Perhaps they could be leased / sold? Think I've seen threads on Talk Porty calling for reasonable shop rents in Portobello. Seems a waste to be used for storage and left run down when it's a great location next to Espy and Beach House Cafe.

Thanks for info on Porty Baths house / old laundry in Pittville St Lane, v interesting. Did you mean you'd try to get keys for this building (or the loos again) to have a look? Interested to hear more / see photos if possible.

Any movement on the loos project idea?

[SoupDragon]

Singh da store was last open in the 90s I think, but the family that owned/leased it were using it as storage for their other business. I've no idea if they still use it for that

Swimming Pool old laundry



I notice the Tides Inn pub is up for sale with plans to convert to flats

Wonder if the same could be done for the First and last pub

[Puerto bella]

[Porty]

Thnk they may be owned by the amusiement people.

[selawson]

Hi everyone,

I have just been kindly redirected to this thread. I am studying architecture at the University of Edinburg and plan to produce a project which would transform the idea of the water tower, beside the mews building you have mentioned. if anyone has idea who to contact to access either of these buildings or where I can get my hands on plans on photographs of the inside I would be so grateful.

Kind Regards,
Sarah Lawson

[SoupDragon]

It's years since I was in the water tower or the old laundry, in those far off days the water tower was settling tank for the salt water used in the swimming pool. My granpaw used to check the salinity with a hydrometer.
I don't think the council ever sold them so they may be the people to approach to ask for keys.





On another note I see The First and Last has indeed been turned into flats.
And I love the wee cafe and arts gallery in the Tides Inn

[selawson]

Could you describe the inside to me at all? Anything you can remember? Im not sure who to ask at all, would there be any individuals particularly?

Sarah

[SoupDragon]

Well I'm going back to when I was very young, in the 1960s.
I'm not sure when the Baths went from being salt water to the plain chlorinated water they use now.

The laundry as it was ( the flying pigs boarded up building ) had large sinks near the window and big industrial machines further back, driers I think. It smelt of carbolic soap and heat. This was in the days when you could hire towels from the Baths and they were laundered in this building.
There must have been drying rooms and maybe storage in there. The ladies that worked there always seemed to be busy.
As for the tower the settling tank was up some steps- wooden i think - but can't say for definite , I'm not sure what was on the ground floor but the tank was on the first floor, dark, squarish, not sure how deep, it had a wee fish living in it and anenomes.
I remember it as cold, drafty, dank. I dont think the sides had glass or anything but I recall criss cross patterns made by light. I think the walls were sort of rough concrete.
To be honest at the tie I wasn't paying much attention I was chumming my Granpaw to see the fishy and was being careful not to drop his black note book, important job to carry the notebook
I later realised this was where he made a note of the salinity, noted the specific gravity of the water etc.

Maybe the manager of the Baths would know who to approach for keys
Or maybe enquire through http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/1034/land_and_property

The salt water was draw in from the sea, the pipe can sometimes be seen at low tide.
It was pumped to the tank to let the sand settle, must have gone through some other filters, then pumped to the boiler across the lane ( behind the big black doors ). In those days I think the boiler was heated by coal. She was called Bessie

[Puerto bella]

Wow Soupy, I love when you tell us all things like this - I always wondered about that water tank. Your memory is amazing. Thankyou x

[Porty]

A few years back Portobello Swimming Club briefly considered the water tank building for a clubhouse. I think the renovation costs were prohibitive. They would definitely know how to get access.