Councillors keen to open public toilets longer

Councillors keen to open public toilets longer

9 May 2012

DOWN Council would have to spend £1,300 to open its public toilets in Newcastle for longer, it has emerged.

Local politicians are concerned that council-run toilets in the resort close at 6pm during April and June and only open to 10pm during July and August to allow local people and visitors to spend a penny.

Councillors argue given the huge investment to transform the resort which is attracting increasing numbers of visitors, closing public toilets at 6pm is not on and that the opening hours from April to June should be extended to 9pm. It’s a view shared by Newcastle Chamber of Commerce.

The cost of increasing the opening hours of Down Council’s six public toilet blocks in Newcastle was confirmed at last week’s meeting of Down Council’s Environment Committee.

Council official, Mr. Joe Parkes, said the added expense of extending opening hours has not been budgeted for and said there were problems with anti-social behaviour at toilet blocks in the resort a number of years ago.

“Things have not been too bad recently, but we were plagued with problems three or four years ago. We can increase opening hours, but there is a cost and we have to bear in mind the implication this could have on anti-

social behaviour with people congregating around toilets,” he continued.

“Perhaps some of the toilets could stay open for longer and that is maybe one way forward. The toilets at the Downs Road are very popular and maybe what we need to do is look at options moving forward which could mean a number of selected toilets could remain open for longer,” he added.

Councillor Patrick Clarke suggested £1,300 was not an exorbitant amount of money and said he would like to see the toilet opening hours extended. He said closing the toilets at 6pm in the heart of a busy tourist resort “doesn’t do Newcastle any justice.”

Councillor Carmel O’Boyle said toilets at Donard Park and at Central Promenade should have their opening hours extended and hopes this can happen as soon as possible, while councillor Garth Craig said closing public toilets in a seaside resort at 6pm is “totally wrong.”

At the conclusion of last week’s debate it was agreed to refer the issue to the council’s Rates Working Party to see if it can find the money needed to finance the extended opening hours of the public toilets in Newcastle.