Topic ID 4980
Ware are getting one. Do you think we could do with one and what business do you think would be up for getting involved? Or are two public toilets enough?
Reply ID 70585
Not one to go on and on, [8)], but I have mentioned before an environmental report I prepared for East Herts. The interim report of 13 pages was prepared and presented by me in October 2008 after consultation with as many groups and organisations in the town as I could find to talk to. One of the many proposals was this: Organising events such as Fun Day has brought one thing to my attention which is the lack of properly maintained public toilets. Nearly every complaint was about the sad state of the toilets. The ones at the Six Templars have improved the situation but the only other public toilets are at the bus station at Bircherley Green. One constant complaint heard by staff at Waitrose is of the mess in the toilets by the bus station. This has nothing to do at all with Waitrose, nor the state of the car park but being the major tenant this is the nature of the beast. A recent report has recommended that councils pay local businesses such as shops, cafes and pubs to provide public access to their toilets. The Community Toilet Scheme is a scheme to provide clean, safe and accessible public toilets in more convenient locations for residents and visitors. Under the scheme businesses let members of the public use their toilet facilities free of charge during normal opening hours. Several of the premises offer wheelchair access and baby changing facilities. Local businesses could be paid a small annual fee to open up their toilets for public use. This fee would be dependent on the facilities offered by the organisation. Members of the public can use the toilet facilities during the premise's opening hours and without any need to make a purchase. Participating premises are able to display stickers in their window depending on the facilities offered. This seems to me to be an excellent community scheme and one for consideration by East Herts Council. As this report was meant to be about Hertford I am a little disappointed that such a scheme has been put in place in Ware first. Give me a day or two and I'll extract all the recommendations and you can spend the next year ticking them all off. Or not, as the case may be.
Reply ID 70590
I have to say if I were a business I would not be happy allowing the public in to my premises toilets. the state of the ones by the Bus Sation tells you what state people can get them in! When I worked in a shop Potters Bar were there are NO public toilets of any sort we used to let people use ours but on a number of occasions we regretted it and had to start saying no unless they were regular customers who we knew!
Reply ID 70591
It has to be kept in mind that the main thrust behind the Ware scheme is so the present public toilets near the station can be closed. Most of the premises in the scheme are pubs which are less than ideal for mothers with children. Another point which EHDC rejected out of hand was the fact that the public toilets are right by the point where the Ware Carnival musters and are very heavily used during the hours up to departure, I can't see the Spread Eagle (the only member of the community scheme there) being happy with several hundred kids coming in. The scheme should be to supplement not replace.
Reply ID 70599
I am sure somebody will correct me, if needed. But according to the Disability Discrimination Act if you offer a service to one then you must make all reasonable steps to offer that service to all, i was caught out on this when we offered a similar service to our customers but the toilets were upstairs so we were told we could not offer to anyone. Might have been an over eager Head Office trying to protect the company but where does that leave a possible scheme.
Reply ID 70609
They seem to be Pubs that they are trialling in Ware so persumably they will all have to have disabled facilities anyway just to carry on their normal business.