Evening closure of Golspie toilets under consideration as vandals strike again
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Vandals have struck yet again at Golspie's public conveniences, the area's community council has heard.
Councillor Richard Gale, who represents the East Sutherland and Edderton Ward, told a virtual community council meeting on Monday that a sink had been smashed.
"I looked at it and it is pretty shocking," he said.
The Highland Council operated toilets have been the target of vandals in recent months with a spate of incidents.
It was recently decided to remove the pay meters at the facility because items were continually being stuck down them.
"We have a major issue here as far as I am concerned with vandalism," continued Cllr Gale.
"I don't know what the answer is. There is a big sign on the door asking people not to vandalise the toilets but that is not cutting it. We need a more robust approach.
"It may be that the toilets are going to have to be closed (in the evenings) just to stop the vandalism. We cannot have them being smashed up like this.
"We have got to do something. I just hate to see them being vandalised.
"I do not like the idea of shutting them - people need to go to the toilet after 8pm."
Cllr Gale said that he hoped that problem might be alleviated when renovations to the village's YMCA Hall were completed. The opening of the hall would give younger members of the community somewhere to go in the evenings.
"That may reduce the issues we are seeing around the village," he said.
Community councillor Becky Shaw said the window of a door at Golspie High School had been smashed in recently and there had also been incidents at the astroturf sports pitch shelters.
