Seaton public toilets to remain open over summer, despite question over long-term future

Public toilets across East Devon will again be open this summer, with the council agreeing to keep all 28 sites open for the time being.

From April 1, public toilets across the district will be open from 8am to 10pm each day.

The announcement comes after East Devon District Council's review into its public toilets, which is expected to see some facilities closed or repurposed into commercial businesses.

Seaton's Harbour Road and Seaton Hole facilities were placed in Category B, meaning the council will look at other options for the use of these sites, including marketing a lease opportunity for a different offer, such as a café, to include a publicly accessible toilet, or sell the public toilets.

The Dolphin Street toilets in Colyton and Marsh Road conveniences in Seaton were placed in Category C, which meant the council believed there was no commercial alternative that could provide an income and publicly accessible toilet at these sites.

Instead, it proposed that these sites be offered as a freehold transfer for a negligible/very low amount to the town or parish council or community group to operate.

The West Street car park toilets in Axminster are expected to remain open long-term and undergo refurbishment.

East Devon District Council says it remains committed to a £3million refurbishment programme of its Category A toilets, agreed by council in February 2022, and will be announcing details of this later this year.

Discussions on other public toilets that can be repurposed to incorporate a public accessible toilet will continue through the summer.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC portfolio holder for Coast, Country and Environment said: "We recognise the importance of our public toilets especially at tourist destinations, and therefore we will be operating 28 facilities for the 2023 season.

"Our plans are now coming together to repurpose some toilets with commercial activities with public access to toilets whilst others will be totally updated or rebuilt to modern hygiene standards, good disabled access, with some providing adult disabled changing facilities.

"These changes will be scheduled to start this autumn to help minimise any disruption locally." 

More information on public toilets in East Devoncan be found at www.eastdevon.gov.uk/public-toilets