Library staff angry at the proposed replacement of the information centre with toilets staged a protest in Coventry city centre today.

Around 20 staff came out of the building with placards during their lunch hour to highlight their concern at the decision.

Councillors want to move the information centre upstairs from its present ground floor location, and move public toilets into the space.

But there has been a chorus of opposition from the staff. They say they have not been consulted about the move and are worried that there will be a loss of facilities for people who need information and advice.

The cabinet member in charge of the project, Cllr Dave Batten, has insisted that staff are being consulted. But members of Unison have written to the government saying that their concerns have been ignored.

They say they are only being consulted over the logistics of the move, and not the principle of it.

Protestors Bernard Moore and Ian Harris joined the library workers today.

They have also been campaigning against the switch, and have given a public voice to the feeling of the staff, many of whom feel that they cannot speak out against the council without risk of reprisal.

Mr Moore said:

“The library staff will be repeating their protest on Sunday at 4.30pm after the library has shut for the day.

“It had the desired effect. People were coming up and asking us what was going on.”

The campaigners are hoping to convince members of the city council to change their mind about the toilets.

The decision has been bouncing around various committees as some councillors have questioned the scheme, but a final verdict could be reached next week.