Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty

DISAPPOINTMENT has been expressed that anti-animal cruelty protesters bused in for Saturday’s march will be the first users of Huntingdon’s newly-opened toilets.

Staff from Huntingdon Town Council will open the toilets at Riverside Park, more than 18 months after they closed, ahead of the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty on Saturday.

Council representatives provisionally agreed to their use at a meeting with Huntingdonshire District Council and Cambridgeshire police, though the toilets weren’t due to be officially opened until later this month.

However, there was anger from some town councillors who only learned of the early opening at a meeting last week.

Councillor Colin Hyams said: “HDC wanted the toilets closed, but we said we would open them at the end of November – the idea being it was for residents and shoppers coming to boost the Christmas economy.

“If we had said no it would have meant they would have had to use the bushes or people’s gardens to relieve themselves.”

Cllr Nigel Pauley added: “[It would be] a shame if all this effort was ruined and they were wrecked before we get a benefit of them for normal residents.”