THE sale of a Chepstow public toilet sparked a bidding war among four people which saw the hammer come down at more than double the guide price.

The Mathern Road facilities, put on the market for between £5,000 and £10,000 by Monmouthshire Council, went to a new owner for £24,000.

“It was a lively auction, we were surprised by the interest.

We had dozens of viewings, and because of their location people could just pop along and see them,” said June Owen, residential negotiator at estate agents Newland Rennie Wilkins.

“They were a reasonable price.

You wouldn’t get many properties in town for that price and if you can work in a place like that it’s a good way of doing it.”

The new owner is not being named. Although it is unclear what the new owner is going to do with a building numerous people have visited over the years, any plans would have to be passed by the local authority.

More than 150 people attended the auction at DewstowGolf Club on February 28, where other Monmouthshire lots were sold, including Bradbury Farm, Crick, at £300,000; Racecourse Farm, Llanfoist, at £275,000, and Great House, Caerwent, at £230,000.

The toilet building has 297 sq ft of internal space, similar to a small shop, and it is divided internally into ladies’ and gents’