STAFF at a shopping centre are flushed with pride at gaining two top toilet awards.
Eagles Meadow shopping centre in Wrexham has been awarded two Platinum awards at the Loo of the Year Award 2017; Pictured are (FRONT L/R) supervisors, Eirian Jones and Julia Bostock, Anthony Morris, Jane Williams, Karl Sharkey (Manager), Hayim Marshall and Julie Pritchard.
Eagles Meadow in Wrexham has received the highest possible accolades in the independently-run Loo of the Year Awards competition.
The centre has gained Platinum Certification for both sets of toilets there, as well as their Changing Places facilities for disabled people.
The aim of the competition, which is marking its 30th anniversary this year, is to shine a spotlight on toilets ‘away from home’ and encourage the highest possible standards.
The Wrexham shopping and leisure hub, which is home to big name retail and leisure brands such as Debenhams, Pandora, Marks & Spencer, Pizza Express and Odeon, has been awarded the Platinum standard for both sets of public toilets at the site.
Shoppers can use the free loos at Eagles Meadow and can do so safe in the knowledge that the toilets have been given a clean bill of health by an independent inspector sent in without warning by the award organisers.
Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley said it was the first time they had entered after they had been encouraged to do so by a shopper who was so impressed with their clean conveniences.
He said: “There is nothing ‘bog standard’ about our public toilets at Eagles Meadow and our team are committed to keeping them spotlessly clean.
“Our main aim at Eagles Meadow is to ensure that visiting the centre is a pleasant experience – clean and hygienic toilets are a basic and essential part of this and we take this responsibility very seriously.
“I am pleased and proud for the members of the team at Eagles Meadow who work so hard to achieve this and I think they thoroughly deserve to be recognised in this way with the top Platinum standard award.”
All those who receive a gold or platinum standard certificate go through to be considered for a national award – one each for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Members of the Eagles Meadow cleaning team will attend the glittering annual award ceremony on Friday December 8 at the St Johns Hotel in Solihull.
The busy shopping centre has an 11-strong team working at the site who all help look after the cleanliness of the toilets which are checked and cleaned every hour during the time they are open.
In feedback to the centre, the anonymous judge said of the Eagles Meadow facilities: “An excellent facility, fully functional and in good clean condition on day of inspection. Well done the clean team.”
Karl Sharkey, Head Supervisor of the cleaning and waste management team at Eagles Meadow, said: “We were all over the moon to receive the Platinum Certification awards and I feel it is a reflection of the high standards the whole team has to make sure the toilets are as clean and pleasant as possible.
“Even though we have had this fantastic recognition, we won’t be taking our foot off the accelerator and will be aiming even higher from now on.”
Karl, who has worked at Eagles Meadow for nearly 10 years, added: “We have a loyal, hardworking team here who are fun to work with. I feel they really deserve this national recognition”
