COUPLE TRANSFORM SEASIDE PUBLIC LOO INTO A COZY HOME

FOR NEARLY A CENTURY THE UNASSUMING VICTORIAN PUBLIC TOILET WAS USED BY VISITORS TO THE BEACH AT SCARBOROUGH. NOW THE DISTINCTIVE BUILDING HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY TRACY WOODHOUSE AND GRAHAM PECK INTO A COZY HOUSE WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OVERLOOKING THE NORTH SEA. THE GENTS WC IS NOW THE LOUNGE AND THE LADIES IS THE BEDROOM AND EN-SUITE BATHROOM. NOW NAMED LOOKOUT, THE CONVERTED SINGLE STORY BUILDING, BUILT INTO THE CLIFF OVERLOOKING THE RESORT'S FAMOUS NORTH BAY, IS WIDELY ADMIRED BY THE LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WITNESSED ITS STUNNING RECREATION. WOODHOUSE SAID ABOUT THE PROJECT: 'SOME PEOPLE JOKE ABOUT IT. AT WORK THEY'LL SAY THINGS LIKE, 'OH YES, YOU'RE THE COUPLE WHO LIVE IN A LAVATORY.' BUT WE NOW HAVE A LOVELY LITTLE HOUSE WITH A SEA VIEW THAT USED TO BE A LOO. WE UNDERSTAND THE AMUSEMENT IT CAUSES. IT TICKLES US, TOO.' THE PUBLIC RESTROOM, WHICH BECAME AN AMMUNITION STORE DURING THE WAR, WAS CLOSED DOWN IN THE 1990s AND FOR A FEW YEARS BECAME A SEASONAL CAFE. WHEN THE LEASE BECAME AVAILABLE FIVE YEARS AGO, THE COUPLE, BOTH FACTORY WORKERS, DECIDED IT WOULD MAKE A PERFECT HOME. A LOCAL ARCHITECT PRODUCED PLANS WHICH MAINTAINED THE HISTORIC CHARACTER AND STYLE OF THE BUILDING AND THE COUNCIL BACKED THE SCHEME. 'THEY GAVE US PLANNING PERMISSION AND PRAISED THE IDEA', SHE SAID. 'THEY CALLED IT THE BUILDING'S RENAISSANCE.' THE COUPLE SPENT £15,000 ON THE REMAINING SEVEN YEARS OF THE EXISTING LEASE AND LATER NEGOTIATED A NEW LEASE WITH ANOTHER 21 YEARS TO RUN FOR £1,800 A YEAR. THEY ALSO SPENT AROUND £35,000 REFURBISHING AND REBUILDING THE PROPERTY THEMSELVES IN THEIR SPARE TIME. AFTER FILLING SIX SKIPS WITH THE RUBBLE AND OLD DRAINS OF THE TOILETS, THEY SET ABOUT REBUILDING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. THEY HAD TO STRENGTHEN THE OAK-BEAMED CEILING WITH A STEEL GIRDER, MODERNIZE THE ANCIENT PLUMBING, ELECTRICS AND VENTILATION AND ADD DAMP-PROOFING AND INSULATION. THE COUPLE INSTALLED UNDERFLOOR GAS HEATING, PATIO DOORS AND WINDOWS AND CREATED A BATHROOM AND ONE DOUBLE BEDROOM WITH A BAY VIEW WHICH IS SHARED BY THE LOUNGE AND THE ADJOINING KITCHEN.