Chamber anger over toilets

The message comes from a damning statement issued by Bexhill's Chamber of Commerce and Tourism which heavily criticises the closure of Rother-run toilets at Channel View East.

The chamber have also attacked the district council's policy towards day trippers and holiday makers in the town, saying "Enough is enough."

The attack comes weeks after the Observer reported on how the East Sussex Disability Association expressed their concern that a town with a high population of older people should be closing disabled toilets.

Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby suggested local businesses could help the town with the provision of loos.

Cllr Gubby said: "If people come into shops they are far more likely to get more custom if they have toilets. That puts less pressure on public toilets."

He said Rother was still under "tremendous" financial pressure and the provision of toilet facilities remained expensive.

That argument has cut little ice with the chamber of commerce.

The traders' group told the Observer: "We are appalled by the statement by Cllr Gubby that local businesses should provide toilet facilities for the public.

"Yet again we have an instance of civic responsibility being passed on to others.

"Businesses are not providers of public toilets, the provision of public toilet facilities is a civic responsibility.

"Can we all call in at the Town Hall and use the toilets? Can we call at councillor's premises and use the toilet?

"We support the comments made by East Sussex Disability Association, and we certainly agree with the Hastings and Rother Disability Forum's recent statement that closure will undoubtedly affect the decision of many disabled people to visit Bexhill, given that they no longer have a town centre facility for them to use.

"Adequate public toilets are a vital amenity in any civilised community. We need these toilets for our residents and their visiting friends and relatives.

"These days visiting in general is one of the major growth activities in this country.

"How perverse that Bexhill civic leaders are making Bexhill centre less attractive and tightening the noose on what is left of those serving the visitor industry in the town.

"The earlier closure of the Bexhill Tourist Information Centre by the Council, was a large blow and it has hurt the town economically, now the toilets, yet another council planned loss of an important amenity .

"May we remind Bexhill councillors who voted for closure, that the closure of the toilet in Channel View not only removes a valued community amenity, but will also result in the loss of the coveted Bexhill Seaside Award Flag.

"Visitors look in guides for towns that have been awarded the Seaside Award Flags. So the removal of the toilets is yet another pillar being removed '“ by the council '“ from our once thriving town.

The chamber adds: "Just where will this current council trend of passing on its responsibilities end? If any local business was to cut its product or service down in size and charge more, as the council does, they would quickly go out of business.

"We are all customers of the council; we pay our rates for them to provide a service '“ and, amazingly most say very little when services, that we pay for, have been removed.

"When will the council wake up to the fact, that we elect them to provide the services we need, not to spend our money on the things we do not want locally?

"Now enough is enough. These tactics have to stop. We have lost so much in Bexhill that this cutting back of council services simply cannot be allowed to continue.

"Neither will we tolerate our local businesses being asked to invest thousands in toilet facilities when our council, once again being perverse, chooses to close down a perfectly good facility."

Rother District Council have set up a special services committee to discuss the future of public toilet facilities across the region.