Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed that a public toilet facility in Ballymena town centre is to close from the end of this month.
The move is part of a cost-cutting agenda by the local authority which has faced soaring energy and supply bills over the last year in line with rising inflation across the UK.
The plan to save costs took shape in recent months as council officers worked to minimise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on local residents ahead of members striking the rate for the borough's households and businesses.
Town centre businesses were informed the decision this week to permanently close the attended toilets located at Wellington Court from 5pm on Friday 28 April.
A spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council confirmed the decision saying:
"The closure of the Wellington Court toilets is part of council's cost-saving measures in line with rates discussions, resulting in annual savings of £50,000.
"With the development of the fully accessible toilets in the Tower Centre, and the excellent facilities in Fairhill, there is provision already available within the town centre.”
At the beginning of April council also announced that the borough's leisure centres would close one hour earlier each evening and raise charges to the public by 10 percent.
Council said at the time it had "undertaken a major efficiencies review to minimise the recent rates increase locally and any additional financial burden on our citizens and businesses," and added "significant pressures regarding soaring energy, fuel, staffing and general costs" had resulted in the changes.
It is understood the moves affecting leisure centres in Ballymena, Larne, and Carrickfergus would yield savings of around £150,000 per year.