Derelict toilets could become falafel spot
GoogleA long-abandoned public toilet block in Exeter could soon be serving fresh falafel and halloumi instead of gathering dust.
Falafelco has submitted a new planning application to Exeter City Council, hoping to turn the derelict building on Blackboy Road into what it calls "a fresh, healthy, and entirely vegetarian" street food spot.
The company said it wanted to give the toilets, which shut in 2019, a new purpose by creating a small takeaway that felt "welcoming" and useful for the community.
It said the plan would bring new jobs, support local suppliers and keep its environmental footprint as low as possible.
According to the application, the menu would centre on fresh falafel sandwiches, wraps and salad boxes, along with halloumi dishes, home-made hummus, chips and soft drinks, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.
The business said it would not handle or sell any meat, packaging would be recyclable or compostable "wherever possible", and customers who arrived with their own cups or containers would receive a discount.
Falafelco said it also hoped to brighten up the block with a new mural so the finished site would appeal to students, office workers, local residents, visitors and tourists.
The proposed opening hours are 10:00 to 21:00 from Monday to Saturday, and 10:00 to 18:00 on Sundays and public holidays.
The application says: "Falafelco represents a sustainable, community-focused, and commercially viable use for a long-derelict site."
A previous bid to develop the block was refused in 2024.
That plan would have demolished the old building and replaced it with a new structure, but the council decided it was too large and would harm the character of the area.
The latest proposal keeps the existing building, which sits close to a historic chapel, an old wall, alms houses and a granite water trough that serves as a memorial to 19th Century surgeon and philanthropist Arthur Kempe.
Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.
