Plans to bring a vacant public toilet block back to life as an ice cream parlour and coffee shop have been approved by Wirral Council. The former public toilets block on Meols Parade has been out of use for the best part of five years.
Background and sale
The small brick building, which overlooks Meols Beach and out to the Irish Sea, was sold off by the council earlier this year. At an auction in February, the unit was bought for £104,000.
Soon after the auction, proposals were submitted to Wirral Council by The Waterfalls Parlour Ltd seeking to bring the site back to life. The plans, which have now been approved, see the building being split into two units.
What the plans include
Plans show how one side of the building will be an ice cream parlour while the other will become a coffee shop. Each unit will have its own entrance door. The two stores will be equal in size, with the same, albeit mirrored, interior layout.
Plans also show the ice cream parlour will have a "service window", suggesting customers will be able to buy an ice cream without having to go inside the parlour.
Council decision
Upon approving the plans, the council deemed the proposals would not visually harm the building or the surrounding area. Concerns were raised to the council regarding the toilets' proximity to another business, as a non-permanent coffee van also operates on Meols Parade. However, the council deemed that "competition would not be a reason for refusal".
A condition has been added to the planning approval which dictates when the two shops can be open. The stores will only be able to operate between 10am and 8pm.
Public toilet access
A request was made to the council to ensure members of the public, who are not customers at the stores, could use the two toilets at the site. A council report states this is not something that could be included as a condition and will instead be down to the occupiers of the site to decide.
