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Original poster

To expect the toilet in the park to be open?

120 replies

PassingStranger · 06/05/2024 17:14

Lots of people in the park today as it's a Sunny Bank Holiday.
Picnics, walks, bike rides etc.
Council closed all the toilets how crazy?
Talk about not care about people?

OP posts:
Arlanymor · 06/05/2024 17:35

PassingStranger · 06/05/2024 17:30

They can afford them they were just closed.
Why sell ice cream and drinks if you haven't got toilets open too?

Show quote history

How do you know they can afford them? Genuinely, I’m not being glib. How do you know they are affordable? Fair enough if you’ve written to the council to ask about budget spend/affordability, but otherwise aren’t you just assuming?

Because the refreshments kiosk isn’t a loss leader and there is no requirement under law for a food outlet with fewer than 10 seats or one providing takeaway services to provide any toilets for customers.

Flickersy · 06/05/2024 17:34

People want more toilets, better social care, more regular bin collections, pot holes fixing (and so on and so forth) but don't want to pay increased council tax to fund it.

Original poster
PassingStranger · 06/05/2024 17:30

Arlanymor · 06/05/2024 17:23

But it’s not a question of being reasonable or unreasonable is it? If the money isn’t there it isn’t there.

My father has a medical need and because of a lack of public toilets has to wear adult sanitary wear in case he is caught short.

But he wouldn’t call any council unreasonable for not being able to afford to keep them open. Unfortunate, but not unreasonable.

Show quote history

They can afford them they were just closed.
Why sell ice cream and drinks if you haven't got toilets open too?

OP posts:
menopausalmare · 06/05/2024 17:29

Where was the sun today? It's been so wet here.

Moier · 06/05/2024 17:27

Never find a toilet open in a park.
We get told druggies use them.. so they shut them.

Original poster
PassingStranger · 06/05/2024 17:27

BlancheSaysYes · 06/05/2024 17:18

Is there a reason? Broken/being decorated etc?
If not, then that's ridiculous on a bank holiday.
How far away are the nearest public toilets?

There's a kiosk there that sells drink and ice cream even worse.
The assistant said you've got to go to the nearest pub.
I'm sure the pub like that. Not.

OP posts:
wombat15 · 06/05/2024 17:27

I think there should be toilets everywhere. I know councils don't have much money but it is a basic need and if none are available some people will probably urinate or even defecate behind bushes. I think if they had them and charged people to enter it would help pay and also reduce vandalism.

landoflostcontent · 06/05/2024 17:25

Apparently councils are responsible for running public toilets but there is no legal duty for them to provide the facilities and many have been shut to cut costs.
It is one of my bugbears

HolyFalseEquivalencyBatman · 06/05/2024 17:24

Libraries are closing in some places because the council can no longer afford them, I imagine toilets are a lot further down the list of important things to be kept open.

Arlanymor · 06/05/2024 17:23

parkrun500club · 06/05/2024 17:18

You will get told you are being unreasonable because councils have no money.

But you are not. Toilets are a medical need, and should be open.

That said, it would also help if toerags didn't vandalise them!

But it’s not a question of being reasonable or unreasonable is it? If the money isn’t there it isn’t there.

My father has a medical need and because of a lack of public toilets has to wear adult sanitary wear in case he is caught short.

But he wouldn’t call any council unreasonable for not being able to afford to keep them open. Unfortunate, but not unreasonable.

BlusteryLake · 06/05/2024 17:22

There is a general lack of public toilets nationwide. The reasons given for closing them, or not building them in the first place are usually the cost of maintenence and the risk of crime /vandalism. I also find it very annoying when big chain cafés don't bother to maintain their toilets and just close them on an almost daily basis.

KidsandKindness · 06/05/2024 17:22

We go away in our motorhome a lot, and prefer to use the public loos whenever we can, but the number of them that are closed in town and village centres, is absolutely ridiculous, surely they were built for people to use at any time of day, not just when someone at the council decrees. I know that a lot of public toilets have been vandalised over the years, which is why many of them are locked over night, or closed down altogether, sadly, as is often the case, it seems like a few have spoiled it for the many.

itsmylife7 · 06/05/2024 17:21

Our local park toilets have just closed due to the council going bankrupt.

Boomer55 · 06/05/2024 17:19

Public toilets are closing every day. Lack of funds.

LlynTegid · 06/05/2024 17:19

parkrun500club · 06/05/2024 17:18

You will get told you are being unreasonable because councils have no money.

But you are not. Toilets are a medical need, and should be open.

That said, it would also help if toerags didn't vandalise them!

Not just vandalism, but drug taking and in the case of the men's toilets, possibly cottaging.

TwattyMcFuckFace · 06/05/2024 17:18

None of my local parks have toilets anymore.

The council just can't afford the cost.

BlancheSaysYes · 06/05/2024 17:18

Is there a reason? Broken/being decorated etc?
If not, then that's ridiculous on a bank holiday.
How far away are the nearest public toilets?

parkrun500club · 06/05/2024 17:18

You will get told you are being unreasonable because councils have no money.

But you are not. Toilets are a medical need, and should be open.

That said, it would also help if toerags didn't vandalise them!

Arlanymor · 06/05/2024 17:17

Lots of councils are dirt poor currently and looking to cut costs wherever possible, wouldn’t surprise me if the public loos are a casualty of budget cuts. Unless it’s open most of the time and was randomly closed today, in which case sounds more like a lack of available staff on a Bank Holiday issue.

It’s really nothing to do with caring or not, it’ll be a resource issue one way or another.