‘In times of austerity, facilities and structures such as this set of urinals are under increasing threat, and where there are found to be deserving of protection English Heritage will recommend to the Secretary of State that they be added to the National Heritage List for England.’

He said the urinal was a ‘relatively rare surviving example of a once common type of building’ and represented the ‘civic aspirations of the authorities in the Bristol suburbs in the late Victorian period’.

Bristol City Council, which owns the structure, said it ‘remained very well used and appreciated’.

English Heritage said it had listed the building because these ‘often humble structures’ were ‘important to the streetscene of our cities’. The public toilet building was officially granted the listed status on December 11 

English Heritage said the urinal was a ‘relatively rare surviving example of a once common type of building’

Two other similar structures were listed in Bristol in 1977 on Horfield Common and Mina Road Park.

Maggie Shapland, from the Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society, said: ‘We are really glad it makes it harder to destroy our heritage by raising awareness and we are highly delighted to keep part of our historic streetscape.’ 

GRADE II LISTED: WHAT IT MEANS

All buildings built before 1700 – which survive in anything like their original condition – are listed, as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840.

Particularly careful selection is required for buildings from the period after 1945.

A building normally has to be over 30 years old to be eligible for listing.

Grade II buildings are deemed to be nationally important and of special interest.

92 per cent of all listed buildings are in this class and it is the most likely grade of listing for a homeowner.

They are usually listed on the basis of external inspection and include diverse structures such as canal locks and bridges, mill workers’ cottages, manor houses, churches, barns and war memorials’.

All listed buildings are covered by the same degree of statutory protection, regardless of grade.

– English Heritage

The toilet is not the first to be given listed building status.

A lavatory at the Museum of Steam Power and Land Drainage in Westonzoyland, Somerset, was given the honour and now attracts queues of visitors desperate to get their photograph taken with it.

The toilet, which was built in the 1940s, is dubbed the ‘Leaning Tower Of Pee-sa’, because the small redbrick building it is housed in leans at an angle just like its Italian counterpart.

Other more notable buildings to be given grade II listed status include Alexandra Palace in Haringey, north London.

The iconic entertainment venue, which was originally opened in 1873 but rebuilt in 1875 following a fire, became a listed building in 1996, at the instigation of the Hornsey Historical Society. 

The building and its grounds is also included in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

The BT Tower in Fitzrovia, central London, which was built between 1961 and 1965, also has grade II listed status.

The 581 foot high structure – 627 foot including additional aerial rigging – was given listed building status in 2003.

As well as buildings and towers, English Heritage can also give listed building status to statues and structures.

The William Shakespeare statue and fountain in Leicester Square, central London, has grade II listed status, having been given it in February 1958.

About 92 per cent of all listed buildings are grade II, including Alexandra Palace in Haringey, north London

The BT Tower (centre), which was built in the 1960s in central London, was given a grade II listing in 2003

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