PUBLIC loos in Oxford city centre are to open to 8pm after a city council revamp.

The work was part of a £450,000 project to refurbish all 21 of Oxford’s public toilets.

John Tanner, city council board member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford, said: “A lot of people think our new toilets are great, but would like to see them open later.

“These days, particularly around Christmas, people shop in the evenings and our toilets close promptly at 5pm. That is out of date and old fashioned.

“We have put money aside in the budget to keep them open until 8pm.”

In the new budget, which is going out for public consultation and will be approved early next year, the city council has put aside £90,000 to top up its city centre toilets fund.

Mr Tanner said the money would allow the toilets to be staffed into the evening, cleaned and pay for lighting and heating.

Jeremy Smith, Oxford Mail features editor and the city’s toilet tsar, said: “It is brilliant and proves what a difference public toilets can make.”

Last month the Gloucester Green toilets became the latest to reopen in the council’s refurbishment programme.

The Market Street toilets were the first to reopen after a £75,000 revamp and the Florence Park and Cutteslowe Park toilets have also been refurbished.