This is why St Leonards seafront toilets remain closed

The toilets on Marina, which are attached to the former Azur restaurant, have been shut to the public for several months.

Normally they are heavily used as they are located by a part of the beach that is popular with swimmers with a lifeguard station there.

A sign has been placed outside by Hastings Borough Council saying the public conveniences are temporarily closed for repair.

Cllr Tony Collins, Green councillor for Central St Leonards at Hastings Borough Council, said he has asked the council to provide portable toilets while the facility is closed.

He added that the authority was first made aware of the problem in late March.

Cllr Collins said on his Facebook page: “There is a serious blockage within the sewer system which is attached to the Azur restaurant. The leaseholder has been advised to have this work carried out. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the blockage, they are having to return with more substantial machinery.

“Council officials are doing all that we can to get these toilets open as soon as possible, for the benefit of all, and especially now the better weather is upon us. We have passed ongoing information to our communications team about closure. The My Hastings website provides a full list of other toilets available, and will be updated when the problem with the Marina facility is resolved.

“We can only apologise for this inconvenience.”

Azur, based at Marina Pavilion, closed in January this year, having operated since 2008.

Over the previous year before it closed, a question mark hung over the venue’s future due to a ‘long-running dispute’ between the company which managed it, Azur Events Limited, and the leasehold owner Sea Change Sussex.

Sea Change is currently looking for new operators for the building.

A spokesperson for Hastings Borough Council said: “The toilets at Marina are currently closed because there is a serious blockage within the sewer system attached to the closed Azur restaurant. This is the same system that the toilets use. We have been talking to the leaseholder and have agreed that they will arrange for the work to be done. This is due to be completed by the end of the month. We apologise for the inconvenience this closure has caused. There are other toilets available at Grosvenor Gardens and Warrior Parade.”