Angry councillors and tourism bosses in Burnham-On-Sea have this week called for longer opening hours for public toilet facilities over the busy summer holiday season.
Visitors have complained about the restricted opening hours of the loos on Burnham’s Esplanade, which currently close at 5.30pm.
Ian Jefferies, Tourism Manager at BIARS, which runs Burnham’s tourist information centre, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We’re working to hard encourage tourists into our town and it does seems crazy that a seaside town like Burnham closes its public toilets at 5.30pm. These essential facilities need to be open later.”
Cllr Neville Jones added: “It is a disgrace that Sedgemoor District Council locks the facilities so early. In the busy summer months they should be closed no earlier than 8-9pm when visitors are still on the seafront. Just a few years ago we had five public toilets in Burnham – now we have two and the council is keeping these open to only a bare minimum.”
And Cllr Louise Parkin added: “It is absolutely ridiculous when we are trying to promote ourselves as a tourist-friendly town. Many families do not feel comfortable visiting loos in pubs, so having these public loos open is essential.”
District council spokeswoman Claire Faun said the council is aware of the concerns and is seeking to extend the opening hours.
She told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are in the process of arranging to keep the loos open whilst there is someone on duty at the nearby jetty hut. They would lock them, rather than the usual person, so during the high season and varying with the tide times, this would usually be around 7pm.”
