SUPPORT has been growing for the Daily Echo’s campaign calling on Borough of Poole to reopen the public toilets.

Since it was launched yesterday we have received dozens of calls, emails and messages of support from readers backing the campaign.

We are yet to hear whether or not the council is considering a U-turn on the issue.

Clearly in some cases this would not be possible as some of the toilet blocks closed during the first stage of this programme have already been demolished.

The two toilet blocks at Chapel Lane and Quay Visitors car park were demolished in March and last month a planning application was submitted to demolish the block at Constitution Hill.

Previously the council has said it would recommended that some of the toilets would be mothballed – which means they wouldn’t be destroyed but left in good condition while officers establish options with alternative providers.

What these options are we don’t know. But for the toilets at Baiter Park, Haven and Poole’s bus station it’s clear that the only option should be to open them again.

One suggestion made by members of the public is to start charging people a fee to use them.

Sue Taylor, 68, has been spending her summers in the Poole area for the last 30 years.

“I have a disabled sister so having access to a public toilet is really important,” she said.

“I couldn’t believe it when we came down to the area this year and discovered that so many of the public facilities had been closed.

“Surely the council could have thought of another way rather than just closing them outright. In a lot of other places across the UK people pay a fee to use the the toilets. Why can’t that be introduced?”

Across the bay in Swanage there is a 20p fee to use the Swanage Museum and Heritage Centre toilets - while the other facilities in the town are free. Visitors to the Swannery Car Park toilets in Weymouth are also charged 20 pence.

But the council has said the closures are necessary due to budget pressures.

It has been claimed that the council has shown an unwillingness to compromise or admit that a wrong decision had been made.

And while we wait to see whether there will be a re-think on this issue the borough is set to welcome tens of thousands of people to the town for the Poole Maritime Festival next week.

Portable toilets have been temporarily installed at Baiter Park where the Big Wheel is located. It is unknown whether more will arrive for the festival. But Borough of Poole has said that the provision of portable toilets is the “responsibility of the event organisers”.

“Something needs to happen and soon before the summer holidays begin,” said Mrs Taylor. “And I’m really pleased to see the Echo taking a stand on this issue.”