Businesses in Scarborough are to be asked to make their toilets available to the public.
Plans for a ‘community toilet initiative’ will be progressed by Scarborough Town Council following concerns about the low number of public conveniences in Scarborough town centre.
At a full meeting of the council on Thursday (February 26) members approved a proposal whereby local businesses would make their bathroom facilities available for use by the general public.
Councillors said that cafés, pubs, and retail premises could voluntarily make their toilet facilities available for public use during opening hours, in return for “modest financial support, signage, and inclusion in promotional materials”.
Commenting online when the proposal was announced, a local coffee shop owner said:
“Why should we volunteer for people to come in and use the toilets?
“If you were abroad, for example, in Italy, you would have the decency to go in and buy something and then ask if you could use a toilet.”
She said:
“It’s not just one person, sometimes it’s five or six in one go, so it’s not fair on small businesses.”
A report presented at the full meeting stated that
“such schemes are widely used by town and parish councils to improve access to toilet provision, particularly where there is limited direct control over public conveniences”.
Town mayor, Cllr Thomas Murray, said:
“It is a quick, practical step we can take to help meet a clear community need. Larger infrastructure solutions require engagement with North Yorkshire Council and, as many will know, that process rarely moves at lightning speed, so we are acting where we can.
“Scarborough Town Council is looking at realistic, deliverable solutions within our powers, doing what a town council can do, and doing it properly.”
At the meeting, councillors agreed that they would engage with North Yorkshire Council for the necessary permissions or coordination and assess potential budget implications and funding options, and would gauge interest from local businesses and identify possible pilot locations.
The town clerk will be tasked with exploring the feasibility, costs, and legal implications of establishing the scheme.
East Riding Families Receive Secondary School Place Offers
North Yorkshire Council: Cross Party Support For Citizen's Advice Funding
Scarborough MP Says Town Needs Accessible Play Area
Van Sign Vandalism Impacts Scarborough Motorhome Parking Trial
Scarborough Church to Host Covid Reflection Service
Whitby Serves Up a Culinary Showcase as Restaurant Week Returns
Whitby Town Council Invites Traders to Join 2026 Christmas Festival Line-Up
Prostate Cancer Engagement Event Coming to Scarborough and Bridlington
North Yorkshire To Front Yorkshire Day 2029
Ten-Man Scarborough Athletic Twice Lead But Held By Giantkiller Rivals
New Nature Reserve for Scalby Beck
Blues Battle Back Again To Draw With Promotion Chasers
Comments
Add a comment