Ceredigion Public Toilet Closures Raise Tourism Concerns

The potential closure of public toilets in Ceredigion has sparked fears regarding a decline in tourism for the area. Ceredigion council is aiming to transfer responsibility for 33 toilet facilities across the county, a measure intended to save hundreds of thousands of pounds. Local residents assert that this would be a significant detriment to their communities, highlighting that in some coastal towns, these facilities are vital for maintaining “blue flag” status, which is awarded to clean and high-quality beaches. However, Ceredigion council reports an annual deficit exceeding £200,000 between the operational costs of the toilets and the revenue they generate. Aberaeron town council has stated its refusal to assume control of the four toilets in the town, citing the expenses involved. Conversely, the community council in Borth has expressed a willingness in principle to take on the responsibility, provided that sustaining their operation is viable without imposing excessive tax increases. Hugh Hughes, who represents Borth on Ceredigion council, commented: “We’re talking about quite a sizeable amount of money to run both sets of toilets all year round.” Borth is one of four beaches in Ceredigion that received blue flag status in 2024. The criteria for a blue flag beach stipulate the presence of “an adequate number of toilets.” “First and foremost, we are concerned that should the toilets close, our blue flag status for Borth beach would be at risk, which will have an impact on our tourist industry,” Mr Hughes said. Filippo Sottovia, who works at Deli Lazzarotre in Aberaeron town centre, noted that members of the public are already requesting to use their toilets, and any increase in such requests could become problematic. He explained: “Especially during busy times because it’s a small cafe.” He further added: “A queue just outside the toilet? That would be very awkward for us to walk around customers.” In a statement, Ceredigion council indicated that the department responsible for providing toilet facilities “has been challenged” due to budgetary pressures. It further added that if “support isn’t forthcoming,” the council would need to consider closing public toilets. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.