While many small towns in England had their public conveniences closed many years ago as being too costly to keep or have seen pay-as-you-go charges introduced to keep them open, Brigg still has two blocks of free-to-use WCs, owned and operated by North Lincolnshire Council.
The one that's most in demand is on Cary Lane, and scaffolding currently surrounds the building which is of modern design but boasts a traditional-style clay pantile roof suited to the Brigg Conservation Area.
A spokesman for North Lincolnshire Council informs Brigg Blog that routine maintenance is being carried out - "there is a problem with the sky lights leaking."
People who use these toilets will be pleased the council has been happy to spend more than a penny in attending to the problem of keeping the premises water-tight.
Brigg Town Council, many years ago, began to make an extended hours payment to the North Lincolnshire authority so the Cary Lane WCs could be unlocked by an employee on Sundays and bank holidays for use during daylight hours - for the convenience of shoppers, visitors and people using the nearby bus stop. This ensured seven day-a-week WC provision within the town.
The other block of public toilets, on East Park near the Monument roundabout, was refurbished by North Lincolnshire Council some months ago, including the provision of a replacement roof.
When Brigg Blog saw scaffolding arriving close to the turning circle on Cary Lane, we wondered whether it might indicate the impending demolition of the former market stalls storage building located next to the toilet block and backing onto Coney Court behind Brigg & District Servicemen's Club. However, our subsequent check with the council ruled this out.
It's some years since planning permission was granted to demolish the life-expired brick-and-timber structure used for storage, which has been replaced by a secure stockade on the edge of the Angel car park.
Plans were revealed to redevelop this small area of Cary Lane following removal of the old building, but work has still to begin.
An area of greenery/public open space was suggested, although Brigg Blog reckons there would be room to erect a small retail unit as an alternative - facing Cary Lane or Coney Court.
The latter location is pointed out to visitors by a recently installed metal archway with rabbit motifs in memory of fur processing, for the hat and clothing trade, being carried out here for many decades up to the latter third of the 19th century.
