Businesses and residents are concerned about Machynlleth public toilets remaining closed throughout the summer holidays and want an immediate solution.

Machynlleth Town Council has confirmed they are set to remain closed until grant funding can be found to finance vandal-resistant metal doors that could cost up to £25,000 – and no progress has been made.

The town’s only council-run toilet block in Maengwyn car park just off the high street has repeatedly been targeted by vandalism according to town and county councillor Michael Williams.

It is thought many businesses have contacted the town council about the desertion of the public toilets and have expressed fears about rising numbers of non-paying customers using their conveniences.

David Henighan, who owns Henighan’s Traditional Fish and Chips shops in Maengwyn Street, described the situation as a ‘disgrace’.

“It’s had a massive effect on the businesses,” he said. “We’re having to accommodate members of the public because the county council hasn’t repaired the toilets.

“They spend all this money on the clock for people to come and see it and yet we haven’t got any toilets for them.

“We’ve got lots of events in the town like the comedy festival that keep it flourishing but they can’t be bothered to fix the toilets.

“They’re spending half a million on planting these trees when they’d have been better off spending that money on the toilets.

“People will be peeing and crapping around the area and against the walls! Soon you’ll be finding bags of human waste in the Y Plas grounds. I think every business in town is concerned about this issue.”

Residents took to social media to vent their frustration, with one saying they would rather have the public toilets than the town clock renovation and another described the situation as ‘shameful’.

A Powys County Council spokesperson said it will help the council find grant funding for the works.

They added it had provided funding to town councils, responsible for the upkeep of public toilets, to help them maintain them but this was only on a limited basis.

It has also pledged one-off grants to councils for post-pandemic recovery and rates concessions.