THE Daily Echo is today calling on the Borough of Poole to do a U-turn and reopen the public toilets it has closed in recent weeks.

The council has been roundly condemned for shutting down many of the public conveniences across the town.

We have been inundated with emails, letters, calls and online comments about the issue in the past few weeks.

In fact, it's probably fair to say we have never had so much reader feedback on a single issue.

On behalf of all these correspondents, local residents and visitors, we urge council leaders to stop this lunacy and reopen the facilities.

The current state of affairs is a fiasco. It's an embarrassment to the a town that prides itself on being 'A Beautiful Place' and its reputation as a tourist destination.

What the thousands of visitors from home and abroad will think when they come for next week's Maritime Festival is anybody's guess.

It's time for a rethink.

People have been reduced to urinating in the streets, in public parks, or as we reported in yesterday's paper, in gardens in Sandbanks while waiting for the ferry.

It's a ludicrous situation - and signs are still around the town directing members of the public to facilities that are no longer there.

Councillors agreed to move forward with the closure programme earlier this year.

Among those axed are Baiter, the Haven, Sandbanks Road, Old Orchard, Branksome Park and Alexandra Park.

There aren't even public toilets at Poole's busy bus station.

The borough's elected representatives claim that the money saved from the closure programme will help protect frontline public services such as adult social care.

But toilets are an important public service.

Yes, the council is under financial pressure and government funding has been hugely cut in recent years.

But public toilets are surely a key part of a civilised local community - not least for families, the disabled, the elderly, those with difficult medical conditions to manage. Actually for everyone.

The man who takes political responsibility for this policy is the ruling Conservatives' cabinet member for environmental services, Cllr John Rampton.

He added insult to injury for many residents by pointing out that there is no statutory duty on local councils to provide public conveniences.

But that it not the point. Residents of and visitors to Poole expect their local councillors to provide decent services.

This is not the first time Borough of Poole has faced pressure from residents to overturn a decision when it comes to public toilets.

In 2014 councillors faced a 2,000-strong petition persuading them to reopen the Jubilee Road loos after they were shut in favour of a community toilet scheme.

The council was unmoved by public pressure and have continued to close toilets while citing the community toilet scheme as a viable alternative.

But Zoe Lamble, manager of the Haven Ferry Cafe, next to the Haven toilets, said the scheme would not work where they were located near to the Sandbanks ferry because there aren't any businesses nearby.

She said: "We have one toilet for staff and customers which is not enough for every person needing to use the loo while waiting for the ferry, especially on a busy sunny day.

"It shouldn't be on us to provide this service to members of the public. And what's worse is it puts us in a position where we are the ones being confronted by angry members of the public who want to use the toilet.

"Also we are only open at the moment from 8am to 4pm - what do people do after that?"

There has also been a financial cost to the business which has had to fork out more than £600 to pay for a metal gate to stop people urinating in the alleyway behind the public toilets next to the cafe.

"As we move closer to the peak summer months it is only going to get worse. The council should at least consider opening the toilets on the weekends and during school holidays but they're just not willing to compromise."

This feeling has been echoed by residents who have contacted Borough of Poole and Cllr Rampton directly asking for the decision to be overturned - but to no avail.

David and Juliet Artal, who live in Lilliput, said they have written to Cllr Rampton on a number of occasions but have received no reply.

"There is just a stubborn refusal to acknowledge that a mistake has been made with this decision," said Mr Artal.

"When something is proven to be wrong surely it makes sense to look at it again not just dig your heels in.

"Even at national level Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond overturned his error to increase tax paid by the self-employed."

Meanwhile Bournemouth resident Jonathan Colledge, 56, called it "absolutely disgraceful" and a "total abdication of civic duty".

The public toilets that have been closed in Poole:

  • Alexandra Park
  • Baiter Park
  • Branksome Recreation Ground
  • Charborough Road (Broadstone Recreation Ground)
  • Parkstone Park
  • Chapel Lane
  • Poole Road
  • Kingland Road Bus Station
  • Quay Watch Station
  • The Haven, Ferry Way
  • The Pilot, Adastral Square
  • Constitution Hill (Sea View)
  • Jubilee Road
  • Macauley Road
  • Quay Visitors

And here is a list of the public toilets that remain open:

  • Branksome Chine Car Park
  • Branksome Chine Promenade
  • Branksome Dene Chine
  • Canford Cliffs Chine Promenade
  • Dolphin Quays
  • Flaghead Chine
  • Hamworthy Park
  • Lake Pier
  • Sandbanks Pavilion
  • Shore Road
  • The Ark
  • Upton House
  • Upton House Car Park
  • West Gate
  • Whitecliff Recreation Ground