If you were wondering about the toilet at Harbour Place, here's what's happening

The Harbour Place Shopping Centre is 25 years old this year, and while the shop units are revamped regularly, the basic structure of the building is now a quarter of a century old.

Shoppers will have noticed a new, temporary toilet block at the car park end of the centre, and it is there while the toilets inside the building are being refurbished.

Denis Hogan, centre manager, explained to the Westmeath Examiner that the work involves a significant investment: “The toilet are getting a complete revamp, everything – floors, walls, ceilings, cubicles – is being taken out, and new toilets are being installed.

“We’re expecting three weeks, the temporary toilets are there for our customers. Some are walking by them and still trying to come up to the existing toilets, so hopefully our regular customers will get the message.”

Another development at Harbour Place is in the car park, where half the ticket machines (the most used half) have been set up for contactless payment, and the other half will be done this year. That will give customers the option of paying by coin, and by card or phone.

The Harbour Place Shopping Centre is a gold sponsor of the Fleadh Cheoil 2022, and responding to a query from the Examiner, Mr Hogan said they would consider retaining the temporary toilet block till after the fleadh. “It will be important to accommodate people coming from all over the country, giving a good impression of the place – we will consider that,” he said.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Harbour Place, there is a family holiday to Disney World Florida to give away (details are online).