The scale of vandalism and antisocial behaviour which led to the closure of a city centre toilet block has been revealed.
The toilets on The Level closed in summer 2022 after being plagued with vandalism, drug use and graffiti.
Brighton and Hove City Council now wants to convert the neighbouring MacLaren Pavilion into a cafe with new toilets.
It will offer the lease at a reduced rent in return for the operator also looking after new public toilets in one half of the building.
A planning application to convert the pavilion – which was previously a kiosk before the park’s multimillion pound revamp in 2012 – details all the callouts to the toilets in the four years before it closed.
The most common problems were broken or vandalised doors and equipment, drug misuse and detritus and graffiti.
From June 2018 to July 2022 – when the toilets closed – there were 180 callouts.
Consultation on the plans has now closed, with just three public comments. This means it can be decided by planning officers and not go before committee.
The plans include a cafe with space for one table, plus four toilets, and a baby change.
The comments are from members of the Level Communities Forum who say it would make more sense to turn all of the MacLaren Pavilion into a cafe and put toilets in the Elm Room, which has existing sewage connections from when it was a children’s toilet.
| Date | Issue |
| 06/06/18 | graffiti/needles found |
| 17/06/18 | graffiti/drug paraphernalia found |
| 01/07/18 | Panel needs refitting. |
| 05/07/18 | The Soap dispenser is hanging off the wall so is unable to currently be used. |
| 08/07/18 | Drug misuse |
| 14/07/18 | drug paraphernalia found in empty soap dispenser. |
| 21/07/18 | New tap needed. Drug misuse. |
| 25/07/18 | ASB-people were using drugs and left needles on the floor. |
| 02/08/18 | Graffiti/drug missue |
| 05/08/18 | Graffiti |
| 09/08/18 | Drug misuse |
| 11/08/18 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 12/08/18 | Broken toilet seat. |
| 14/08/18 | Graffiti |
| 17/08/18 | Drug misuse |
| 20/08/18 | Broken door handle/new lock needed. |
| 24/08/18 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 30/08/18 | Broken door handle/soap dispenser and toilet dispeneser. |
| 02/09/18 | 5 teenagers locked in once cubicle, drug misuse. |
| 05/09/18 | Human extrement found on the floor. |
| 09/09/18 | Drug misuse |
| 10/09/18 | Graffiti inside the cubicles and outside the building. |
| 17/09/18 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 27/09/18 | Graffiti. |
| 01/10/18 | Broken dispensers. |
| 04/10/18 | Cubicle lock broken/ |
| 17/10/18 | new lock needed. |
| 29/10/18 | Drug misuse |
| 03/11/18 | graffiti |
| 16/11/18 | Graffiti |
| 19/11/18 | new lock needed/drug misuse |
| 07/12/18 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 22/12/18 | needles/syringes found on site |
| 29/12/18 | Broken lock/soap dispenser |
| 31/12/18 | Missing handles |
| 01/01/19 | Missing locks and soap dispenser |
| 19/01/19 | Broken soap and paper dispenser. Needles found in the bin. |
| 30/01/19 | Drug misuse/graffiti. |
| 11/02/19 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 18/02/19 | Missing handles |
| 02/03/19 | Broken tap/broken lock |
| 11/03/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse |
| 28/03/19 | Graffiti. |
| 06/04/19 | Graffiti inside each cubicle and changing place. |
| 14/04/19 | Broken toilet/soap dispenser. |
| 29/04/19 | Graffiti/pornography content (magazine). |
| 03/05/19 | Broken mirror. |
| 05/05/19 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 09/05/19 | drug misuse/human? Extrement on the floor and walls |
| 13/05/19 | Graffiti |
| 17/05/19 | broken tap |
| 30/05/19 | Graffiti |
| 02/06/19 | Feaces on the walls and floor. |
| 04/06/19 | Graffiti |
| 07/06/19 | Drug misuse/graffiti |
| 14/06/19 | Graffiti |
| 21/06/19 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 22/06/19 | Broken toilet roll holder/new tap also needed. |
| 28/06/19 | Graffiti |
| 03/07/19 | Graffiti/new toilet paper holder needed. |
| 04/07/19 | needles/empty bottles of vodka found in one cubicle. |
| 11/07/19 | Graffiti. |
| 20/07/19 | Graffiti |
| 26/07/19 | New toilet hoder and soap dispensers needed. |
| 30/07/19 | new tap needed. |
| 02/08/19 | graffiti/soap dispenser |
| 03/08/19 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 06/08/19 | broken toilet seats |
| 09/08/19 | Graffiti/missing soap dispenser |
| 15/08/19 | empty cans of beer/lighter/spoon and syringe found in changing |
| 19/08/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse. |
| 20/08/19 | Graffiti |
| 26/08/19 | Needles/syrignes found in two cubicles. |
| 30/08/19 | Graffiti |
| 03/09/19 | Graffiti |
| 04/09/19 | Broken mirror. |
| 15/09/19 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 22/09/19 | Graffiti/knife found-reported to the police/knife removed by the officer. |
| 03/10/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse. |
| 04/10/19 | Cubicle lock broken/ |
| 06/10/19 | Missing locks and soap dispenser/graffiti |
| 12/10/19 | Cubicle lock broken/ |
| 16/10/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse. |
| 26/10/19 | Graffiti |
| 01/11/19 | Graffiti |
| 05/11/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse/broken tap. |
| 10/11/19 | no lights/paper holder off the wall |
| 12/11/19 | Graffiti |
| 13/11/19 | Graffiti |
| 15/11/19 | toilet pan needs to be bolted to the floor |
| 16/11/19 | Graffiti |
| 19/11/19 | paper holder off the wall |
| 28/11/19 | Graffiti/drug misuse. |
| 08/12/19 | Drug misuse. |
| 10/12/19 | needles found |
| 12/12/19 | paper holder off the wall |
| 16/12/19 | Drug misuse/broken tap. |
| 21/12/19 | Broken mirror. Graffiti. |
| 23/12/19 | Graffiti |
| 28/12/19 | Needles found under the toilet seat |
| 05/01/20 | Graffiti |
| 07/01/20 | needles found in the bin |
| 14/01/20 | Graffiti |
| 22/01/20 | graffiti |
| 25/01/20 | Graffiti/issues with door handle |
| 02/02/20 | Graffiti (pornography content) |
| 08/02/20 | new lock needed/lights are not working. |
| 09/02/20 | Graffiti/needles |
| 16/02/20 | Graffiti. |
| 23/02/20 | graffiti |
| 25/02/20 | Broken toilet/soap dispenser. |
| 28/02/20 | graffiti |
| 29/02/20 | soap/paper dispensers needed. |
| 23/03/20 | drug users locked inside three cubicles |
| 06/04/20 | new lock needed/drug misuse |
| 07/04/20 | Broken toilet roll holder/new sanitary bin needed |
| 09/04/20 | needles/syringes found on site |
| 28/04/20 | Broken lock/soap dispenser |
| 06/05/20 | Missing handle in changing toilet |
| 25/05/20 | Missing paper dispenser |
| 26/06/20 | Broken soap and paper dispenser. Needles found in the bin. |
| 03/07/20 | Drug misuse/graffiti. |
| 10/07/20 | Broken toilet seat/blocked toilet |
| 22/07/20 | Missing handle/broken soap dispenser |
| 27/07/20 | Broken tap/broken lock |
| 29/07/20 | Graffiti/drug misuse |
| 31/07/20 | Graffiti/panel needs to be refitted |
| 05/08/20 | new toilet seat needed/new tap |
| 09/08/21 | driver found a knife-handed to the police |
| 10/08/21 | graffiti |
| 17/08/21 | broken tap//broken lock/needle found |
| 25/08/21 | sink ripped of the wall |
| 24/08/20 | new lock needed. |
| 30/08/21 | homophobic graffiti |
| 07/09/20 | Drug misuse |
| 08/09/20 | graffiti (internal/external) |
| 09/09/20 | offensive graffiti |
| 28/09/20 | new lock needed/drug misuse |
| 15/12/20 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 28/12/20 | needles/syringes/spoons found on site |
| 29/01/21 | Broken lock/soap dispenser |
| 02/02/21 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 03/02/21 | small knife found/handed to the police |
| 18/03/21 | Graffiti |
| 23/03/21 | Drug misuse |
| 29/04/21 | door handle needed |
| 03/05/21 | new toilet holder needed x 2 |
| 31/05/21 | Broken tap x 3 |
| 01/06/21 | Graffiti |
| 22/07/21 | Drug misuse |
| 27/07/21 | new lock needed (changing toilet) |
| 16/08/21 | Broken toilet roll holder/tap |
| 17/08/21 | Broken door handle/soap dispenser and toilet dispeneser. |
| 20/08/21 | drug parahpernalia found – syginge x 3, needle x 1 |
| 20/09/21 | Human extrement found on the floor. |
| 01/10/21 | Drug misuse |
| 13/10/21 | Graffiti inside the cubicles and outside the building/needles found |
| 14/10/21 | Broken toilet roll holder. |
| 15/10/21 | Graffiti. |
| 22/10/21 | Broken dispensers. |
| 27/10/21 | offensive graffiti/burnt toilet seat |
| 09/11/21 | The Soap dispenser is hanging off the wall so is unable to currently be used. |
| 12/11/21 | drug misuse/graffiti. |
| 20/12/21 | broken soap dispenser. |
| 28/12/21 | Drug misuse |
| 14/02/22 | Broken door handles x 5 |
| 04/02/22 | 1 Panel loose from fittings |
| 16/02/22 | Gutter of building is coming away from fixings. Please repair. |
| 16/02/22 | The cleaning operatives reported concerns about safety on previous nights when closing the site; related to drink and drug users in the area. Currently the site is so unsanitary so John is unable to proceed with work.• Door handles broken of 5 doors so cannot be opened from outside. • Door lock destroyed cannot be locked overnight to secure cubicle• Indicator lock destroyed • Soap dispenser destroyed • Changing place door not closing automatically – could easily be left open • Smashed mirror • Gutter of building is coming away from fixings (premises team) • Broom on top of roof • No lighting exists on North side of building exterior (what is the feasibility of having that installed?)• DDA toilet seat cracked and broken • New cubicle door required, repair beyond the tool availability of |
| 28/02/22 | Need a quote to dispose of the broken wall mirror and replace it with a hygiene panel |
| 28/02/22 | Need a quote for a new door on South side of the building to replace badly damaged door. Ask if it’s possible to fit the original cladding on the damaged door to the new door. please ensure quote includes a parts/ labour split. |
| 28/02/22 | Deep clean/ before and after photos to be submitted |
| 28/02/22 | Graffiti needs removing |
| 17/03/22 | One toilet roll holder has been vandalised (north side family cubicle) Hand dryer badly damaged from fire (north side DDA) South side cubicle door damaged and cannot be secured over night with a deadlock. All cubicles have had their pull handles destroyed and cannot be opened normally. |
| 29/04/22 | South side door needs repairing/replacing |
| 11/07/22 | changing Fault with code lock. |
| 11/07/22 | graffiti |
| 11/07/22 | Break in to café and toilets – vandalism |
| 12/07/22 | disabled toilet code lock broken won’t lock |
| 05/08/22 | 482 suited barrels made with thumb turn inside. Mortice locks should be reusable. 8 in total. |
Join On the Level group on Facebook
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It would be cheaper to create an Island for them with healthcare facilities, Counselling, clean drug use, controlled access to alcohol, entertainment, education- until they choose a different lifestyle or are cleared of their addiction.
The amount of money and misery spent on managing (or not) anti-social behaviour in a City is huge and wasteful.
St Peters church used to do this , but theres no funding for new council services
Think you might have slightly mis-read the previous post. I don’t think anyone has provided an island with rehab facilities as yet! Perhaps we could discuss future plans with Rwanda?
Time to scrap the ‘City of Sanctuary’ nonsense which has led to this and various areas of the city becoming ‘no go’ zones for its residents.
I wasn’t aware that there was a consultation but would have liked to participate. I don’t know where this was publicised but it would be good to get some more local input on this and similar plans. I’m sure more than three people would have had had something to offer on the subject. The usual place I find out about consultations is on various Facebook groups, I missed this one. I think the council should be more proactive about this.
That’s just melodramatic.
Wrong comment, I agree with what you’re saying David. I fatfingered the reply button.