Good to see Swanage with so many people about. But the toilets on the stone quay were closed. More than one visitor was heard to say: "Last time I come here."
Come on Town Council! Get your act together!
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Posted by Man about town to swanage view at 10/01/2006 01:53:30 PM
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To all the people who post imaginitive visions of an upmarket Swanage with art galleries etc - get the bogs fixed first.
If I could fix the loos I would.
But I can set up an art gallery and try to inspire others to do similar activities.
comment at local council meeting the pujblic toilets are closed due to vandalism.
The Council workers do a fantastic job in trying to keep the town functioning especialy considering their current predicament if comments following the recent chamber of commerce meeting are to be believed.
What comments following the recent chamber of commerce meeting? and how did that go anyway?
I find this all a bit sad.
If we leave our houses who has a duty to provide services?
If I go to a pub/restaurant I expect them have a loo. If I go into a hardware shop or a grocer, I don't.
If I'm walking around a town who provides loos?
As I pay Concil Tax I think I expect to have a certain level of services.
Surely a loo is one of them.
However, the experiences of Corfe maybe suggest differently.
Picture yourself as a tourist in our seaside town. You're having a great time on a sunny weekend enjoying the view, the weather and a cup of coffee at the Quay Hole, and you need to go to the toilet.
The public one is closed. The pubs and restaurants have signs saying: "Our toilets are for our customers' use only". The nearest public toilet is by the Fishermans's Catch or the station, and that's only if you know where to go.
Pretty bleak, isn't it? Doesn't it take the shine off your enjoyable experience? And what if it's your child that wants the loo? What do you do then?
Oh sure, you'll manage somehow, even if it means finding a friendly pub or restaurant.
BUT you won't be happy about it and it will be a factor in your decision whether to stay or go somewhere more hospitable.
Now imagine you're in a wheelchair... you can't get into a pub or restaurant because they don't have disabled loos! I know what it's like, because I've had to use a wheelchair for two years - at the beginning I didn't go out because of the problem with toilets. And from what I've been told, that's true for far too many other people.
This closure of toilets is important and needs to be sorted.
You might be amazed to know that
"There is no legal obligation on a District or other Council to provide public conveniences" - Bill Davidson, Head of Environmental Services, Purbeck District Council (e-mail of 05/10/07).
What do you make of that?
While I personally think the town's loos should be free (subsidised by our tourists, somehow (?)), perhaps there's a new business opportunity here for some imaginative entrepreneur? There's a clear demand for a service that is inadequately met and that the council apparently have no obligation to provide (and have trouble paying for). Turn the thing on its head and think "loos that people are Happy to pay for - perhaps with cafe/bar attached or something interesting/good service" May be daft ..or ??
How often does the loo cleaning contract come up for tender/
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