Toilet troubles in the heart of Alton will soon be solved, East Hampshire District Council has promised.

One loo in the Lady Place car park block has been closed for months – and for a spell in the summer holidays only one was available, forcing Alton Town Council to hire portable toilets for its Public Gardens events at taxpayer expense.

There have also been issues around cleaning, with one mother complaining the last remaining toilet was “often disgusting”.

But an East Hampshire District Council spokesperson said: “We know there have been a few maintenance issues with the toilet block in Lady Place car park and we apologise for the inconvenience that has caused people.

“At the moment one cubicle is out of order but the three other cubicles, plus the changing places cubicle and the gents urinals, are all working. It’s an important facility for shoppers and visitors to Alton so we’ll get the last cubicle fixed as soon as we can and hopefully the toilet block will be in full working order in the next week or so.”