Keswick now boasts two sparkling new toilet facilities, though the cost of spending a penny has gone up to 40p for visitors.

The run-down toilet blocks at Bell Close and next to the Theatre by the Lake have been taken over by the town council and revamped at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds.

A community asset company made up of town councillors and local businessmen has been set up to take over running the facilities from Allerdale district council.

The move follows a series of complaints by users and pressure on Allerdale council to cut costs.

Local residents and market traders will be able to use the toilets free of charge by claiming special tokens from the town council offices, but visitors to the town will have to pay 40p to get past the new turnstiles.

Keswick town councillor Tony Lywood says a charge has to be made to meet running costs.

He says: “I’m sorry it can’t be free for everyone.

“We would like it to be free, but faced with the choice of no toilets or paid-for toilets, we chose the latter, rather than the former.

“Part of the deal was that locals and market traders would get free access.”

Allerdale council also handed over £75,000 towards the cost of renovating both blocks.

Mr Lywood said the facilities were clean, functional and modern.

The toilets have waterless urinals which saves 1,000 litres of water a year.

The Bell Close toilets opened last week, but then had to close briefly while some adjustments were made.

Those next to the Theatre by the Lake were delayed but are expected to be open this week.

The toilets are being operated by specialists Danfo on behalf of the community asset company on a not-for-profit basis.

Any profits made will be pumped back into the facilities.

The Bell Close toilets will feature a series of specially-commissioned murals in the alcoves around the building.

Artists from around the area, including Paul Wilmott, are working on a series of paintings featuring a range of subjects.

The first to be unveiled will be a particularly cheeky one, according to Mr Lywood.

“It is being sponsored by Danfo themselves and is said to be a picture of the managing director, sat on the toilet, reading a paper,” he explains.

And there will also be a herb garden outside the building for anyone to help themselves to.

Mr Lywood explains: “There is a little garden area outside and it will be a guerrilla herb garden.

“There will be rosemary and other easy-to-grow plants there and people will be able to come and cut what they want.”