PUBLIC toilets in Otley are facing the axe - because of repeated vandalism.

The London-based owner of the Orchard Gate shopping complex says mindless vandalism, including smeared excrement on walls, could force the closure of the toilets.

Waterbridge is about to spend £20,000 on a major revamp of the complex, including redecorating and power cleaning of the pavements, and in the long term is looking at improved security.

But it says the condition of the toilets is often a health and safety risk and although the answer could be a full time attendant, it would be too expensive.

Peter Dykes, of Waterbridge, said: "The toilets are an independent problem on the shopping complex. We already have a contractor cleaning them, but if people are going to smear excrement across the windows then we are going to have to shut them down. There are only so many times I can ask a contractor to clean that."

Town councillor Nigel Francis has looked into the feasibility of employing an attendant.

He said: "We actually did a costing on the facility and found that if people using the toilet paid 20 pence a time, it would run at a profit. We were so confident that we would have covered the initial set up costs. Unfortunately, we met with a blank when we tried to take it further."

But Mr Dykes believed it would mean 500 people a day paying to use the toilets to cover the cost.

"An attendant would cost about £20,000 a year and would tenants want to pay for that? If 500 people spend 20 pence a day using the toilets, then it would cover the costs, but otherwise it's not going to work."

Mr Dykes said he was willing to meet with the council to discuss the problem.

"I want this to work out as much as anyone, but if the vandalism continues the toilets will have to be closed - it's a health and safety issue."

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon) said: "It doesn't matter who runs the toilets, vandalism is always going to be a problem. But we do need a facility, particularly near the bus station."

Meanwhile, Waterbridge will soon start on the revamp of the shopping centre.

It is looking at repainting, putting up hanging baskets, removing chewing gum from the pavements and even installing some kind of feature such as a statue.

Mr Dykes said: "I will be meeting with a contractor soon and taking him through what needs to be done inch by inch. We will be repainting all the shop fronts and drains, industrially cleaning the area and weeding and replacing hanging baskets.

"We are aware of what people want and we have made a capital commitment to it, we want to raise the profile and feel of the place."

In the long term, the company wants to install more lighting, upgrade the security cameras and put up gates at the entrances.

"At some point we would like to put some kind of feature in the courtyard. We are not one of those companies who take property on then just let it sit there. We want to take it to the next level."