Cotswold District Council (CDC) has been criticised for charging people to use public toilets. The authority says it is necessary to cover maintenance costs, but those opposed to fees believe 'spending a penny' is a basic human right and should actually be free.
The Standard's Megan Archer and Elliot Cass visited the three CDC toilets in Cirencester to find out what you get for your 20p.
WHAT exactly does a person get through paying 20p for a toilet in the Cotswolds? Luxury hand wash? Expensive, quilted toilet roll? Or maybe just a clean, secure toilet which is less likely to be vandalised than a free one?
Residents and visitors of Cirencester have called upon CDC to flush away toilet charges, as they think paying for 'a basic human right' is not on.
However, it costs the authority almost £400,000 per year to provide toilets across the district, and just £70,000 is recouped through fees, with about £17,000 generated in Cirencester.
We visited the three CDC-run public toilets in town - the Beeches car park, the Forum car park, and Brewery Court - to if they are worth the 20p entrance fee.
Out of the two toilets at the Beeches, one of them would not open at all, despite tugging the door handle and repeatedly putting in our 20p pieces. The other one, which allowed us inside, was fairly pleasant - clean, dry and secure.
It could be argued that, if it was free to use, it might be less hygienic and more open to vandalism.
The second block of toilets we inspected, by the Forum car park, was less appealing. Messy and with an appalling smell in the air, we were instantly put off going any further into the cubicle and backed away fast.
Were we just unlucky to go in after someone with a dodgy stomach, or do the council rarely inspect their public facilities? Either way, we left feeling less pleased about having to pay for a toilet which was in no condition to use.
Trooping towards the Brewery Court toilets in the town centre, we were now a little nervous. The seemingly busiest conveniences in Cirencester, were they going to be just as grim as the last ones we had inspected?
It appeared not, as the Brewery Court toilets were in a similar condition to the Beeches facility.
In our opinion, all the toilets (bar one) were in good, clean order. But worth 20p? We say no.
It is all well and good when you pay to get into a nice clean cubicle, such as the one in Brewery Court, but what if you used your final 20p to pay for the unclean and repulsive facility at Forum car park?Unless you were really desperate, you would simply shut the door and walk away like we did.
CDC’s Cllr Chris Hancock said it seems reasonable to charge a fee to contribute to the upkeep of toilets.
“Each site - including each of the three sites in Cirencester - costs an average of £26,000 to run per year,” he said.
“We are able to subsidise this service by using the surplus generated by car parking charges, which is used in full each year and also funds environmental protection work, tackling environmental crime such as littering, and land drainage. The car parking surplus also helps to keep down the cost of council tax.”
He added that local authorities are not legally obliged to provide public toilets and many councils have closed them down.
What do you think?
Fred MacDonald, 23, Cirencester - “I’m fine with paying for toilets. I think it keeps people from living in them. Sometimes they are left in horrific conditions, though. I hate the opening times but I think it’s to stop homeless people sleeping in them. In an ideal world I think it should be free.”
Anna and David Neal, with one-month-old Riley and Ella-Rose, 2, from Tetbury - “I would not change my baby in them. It doesn’t look that good. I think they should be free. They are nice and clean in Swindon and they’re free there. If they’re charging to park then people should be able to use the toilets for free. I would use the boot of the car to change the baby or go into Costa Coffee.”
Sue Vaughan, 55, Gloucester - “I think they should be free. It always used to be free here. I avoid them really. They’re very average. They are not openly dirty but it depends how many people they have through them. I do not think they are checked regularly.”
Alex Rambaut, 22, Quenington and his girlfriend Sam Yates, 20, Bristol - “I do not like them. You need 20p but if you only have a pound, there is no change given. You can’t see the condition of them before you go in. Someone might have been sick in there on the floor. Women’s toilets seem generally cleaner so there should be separate toilets.”
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