PUBLIC toilets in Upton could be reopened in time for the summer tourist season after the Conservatives took control of Malvern Hills District Council in last week's elections.

Following the Tories' landslide victory leader Serena Croad immediately pledged to come good on a pre-election promise to reopen the Lower High Street toilets, which were closed following a controversial vote in spring 2006.

Coun Croad met council officers this week and plans to get the wheels in motion at the first possible opportunity by bringing a resolution to executive committee on May 22.

"We don't want to raise people's expectations by saying they will be re-open tomorrow, but it is not going to take months," she said.

The news has delighted traders and tourism officials in Upton, who feel the closure of the toilets has made Upton less welcoming to visitors, and had an impact on events in the town.

Upton Folk Festival organiser Richard Hannah said it would be a tremendous positive to have the toilets open for next year's event.

"It's great news and good to hear the council is finally seeing sense," he said.

"For the second year running we've had people asking for directions to the other toilets and using facilities in pubs and restaurants, which isn't really fair on them," he added.

Graham Bunn, landlord of the Kings Head, where two protest rallies against the closure were held, said reopening the toilets would be good news for Upton's pubs and restaurants.

"The opinion is still that they should never have been closed in the first place, but this is good news for ourselves and other pubs," he said.