Lewisham Council - Thank You! Not!

[owlwise]

I know there's a separate thread for the Station Approach's new public WC but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Lewisham Council and the clever architects who designed the special trolley space directly next to the WC. It's the perfect size to park your trolleys Sydenhamites! Seven years of architectural training brought them to concoct such an insightful, cutting edge design which leaves this little space open to a whole array of uses! It should be nominated for the RIBA Stirling Prize. It has brought such prestige to our lovely Sydenham. Not!

Or and alternative use for this innovative little space is:

Well... if you find that you are short of cash for the loo you can just have a pee in this little side space that was so considerately left big enough for those caught short and small enough for just enough privacy. I can't wait to get off the train after a long day at work and get a nice whiff of stale urine as I walk up Station Approach towards my home.

Thanks again to Lewisham Council for being so considerate to us locals.

http://s1148.photobucket.com/user/owl_w ... 6.jpg.html

http://s1148.photobucket.com/user/owl_w ... y.jpg.html

[gillyjp]

LOL - it does make you wonder whether common sense will ever prevail where Council Planners are concerned - or whoever rubberstamped that little eyesore. As I said before, the actual toilet block looks like a reject from Croydon Council. It looks second hand and as if a mechanical grabber has taken a chunk out of the sides of the thing. Awful, Awful, Awful.

[G-Man]

I thought it was a portaloo, not the actual thing. Then I realised. Doh.

G-Man

[leenewham]

The Turdis.


But what if…(for discussion, I did this quickly, lets try to keep it positive)


Mosy asked what it would look like if we planted something over it. Well, it could look like this. It would be nice to put the Wisteria on the wall on the side down station approach and possibly fill the gap in on the right with it so the trolly park is designed out..

The toilet in Sydenham is very similar to the one in Forest Hill, although ours appears to be even more bargain basement. I believe the only way it will be improved is to make it look better (and make sure it works) by the use of art, planting or some other means. Even if this one is replaced, I'd be surprised if we got a spanking new one that looked great.

Anyway, over to the forum.

[leenewham]

Public toilets dont' have to be hideous.

It's just a shame that the council didn't bother to consult on the final detail of the scheme. This may be due to their utterly ridiculous procurement procedures. When I proposed and costed the outdoor gym in Home Park years ago, it was half the price of what the council eventually spent on it for the same stuff, but a different company.

If you shop around, you can save money and get better stuff. Like these (possibly).

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This is a council toilet in Wales from the company http://www.danfo.com/:
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[chrisj1948]

I recognise the final picture. It is from Nora in Orebro, central Sweden. The church was the clue. They didn't have a Danfo toilet there in my day!

Regards
Chris

[alburt.c]

i think flower on turdis vary good plan. many peeples can water on flower free here.

mayby flower name begin pee.

[Nigel]

Lee
Reading your post is like buying a horrible pair of shoes from Next then lolling up against the window of Cheaney or Loakes repenting your purchase .
I do wish the council would do what you seem to have done in your spare time quite quickly .
If you ever stand as councillor for street furniture and signage , you will have my vote - even if you stood on a platform of Coldplay pumped out of speakers twice a day at every street corner - and I hate Coldplay as much as the Turdis .
A very good evening
Nigel

[leenewham]

Thanks Nigel, it's nice to read something positive.

The fact is, it's not difficult to choose decent street furniture. I was consulted on street furniture by another council despite not being an architect, partly due to internal issues and squabbles with the choices they had due to their daft procurement. We worked with an architect on the overall look and feel of the high street just using a bit of common sense and looking at how people use the street and who lives there.

I don't believe Lewisham have done this in Sydenham.

[gillyjp]

Such a shame we've been lumbered with such an eyesore especially when you see the examples Lee has uploaded above and realise what we could have had. Honestly - Lewisham Council is good at some things (credit where credit's due i.e. the parks department). However when they make a howler - do they make a howler. We have to live with it now.

[Steveofsyd]

I wanted to post a picture, to show the toilet on the London road between Sydenham and Bromley ( on way up to Bromley Court Hotel), Even that looks a thousand times better than what we have ended up with.
Please see my comments re "muggers paradise" on the main toilet thread.