‘More and better toilets in popular resorts urgently needed’

Letter from: David Roberts, Bishops Close, Hurstpierpoint
Stock picture of public toiletsStock picture of public toilets
Stock picture of public toilets

Like thousands of people last Wednesday and Thursday I went to the seaside with my wife – in our case the beaches in Shoreham.

Car parks were overflowing. Many hundreds of people, including many families, were there enjoying the sea and sunshine, properly distanced and not leaving litter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The downside was that cafés, restaurants and pubs, all with toilets, were closed and the council had decided to close the few toilets that it normally provided! What were people supposed to do?

I am aware from television reports that toilet facilities at bigger resorts were not adequate either. This is a toilet crisis that could have been anticipated and will continue into the summer.

An emergency toilet building programme is needed with improved hygienic water control. Taps should be replaced with sensors to deliver water and sensors used to flush toilets.

For some years now these have been widely in use in hotels and public places.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Portakabin toilets such as they use for festivals could provide a temporary answer and could be erected in a matter of a few days while additional hygienic toilets are built at speed.

It is pointless to tell people how to behave for the good of their health with social distancing, wearing facemasks and frequent handwashing and then pitch us back into the Middle Ages by removing basic toilet and handwashing facilities.

More and better toilets are urgently needed in popular resorts. This should be a health and social priority.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.