PUBLIC conveniences in Royston could be saved from demolition if the owner of a taxi firm gets his way and takes over the day-to-day running of the facilities. The owner of Meltax, Geoff Dawes, hopes North Herts District Council will do a U-turn and let h

PUBLIC conveniences in Royston could be saved from demolition if the owner of a taxi firm gets his way and takes over the day-to-day running of the facilities.

The owner of Meltax, Geoff Dawes, hopes North Herts District Council will do a U-turn and let him take full responsibility for the toilets.

He believes they are a "vital" service.

He said: "The toilets are a necessity because buses and coaches stop outside and if people are waiting for a bus they can't cross the road to the Fish Hill toilets or they will miss their ride.

"They are a service that every town should supply. We all need the toilets at some stage."

Mr Dawes said that he remembers the first signing of the lease about 30 years ago.

"The toilets are owned by the people of Royston," he said.

"They contributed the money towards the toilets so there's no way they can be demolished, and I'm in the adjoining building and I have a lease.

"No one can demolish the toilets," he said.

Veteran campaigner Terry Hutt, who has been campaigning against the demolition of the toilets, said: "What more could we want. It's fantastic he wants to do this. He's an angel in disguise.

"At the end of the day it's about winning the toilets and we are getting there."

Councillor Fiona Hil, chairman of the district council's Royston area committee, said: "It would be positive to see the facility staying open. It would solve the problem with finances."

A district council spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are arranging a meeting with the company to explore its ideas."

- Last October, the district council decided to go-ahead with the demolition of the public toilets despite a 2,000-signature petition and opposition from Royston councillors.

Instead the district council plans to spend £155,000 on refurbishing toilets at Fish Hill and The Cross.