Public toilets are open for your business – well some of them are
Public toilets around Hastings were reopened on Monday with no fanfare and no formal announcement from Hastings Borough Council (HBC).
And as of 1pm on Tuesday there has still be no public statement from the council to say that the facilities have been opened up. No press release has been issued and there is no mention of the toilets reopening on the council’s Facebook page or on the homepage of its website.
The council had been under mounting pressure from local people to open up facilities, shut at the start of the Coronavirus lockdown. Central government handed the decision about reopening public toilets to local councils and while neighbouring councils were opening their facilities those in Hastings stayed resolutely shut.
Late yesterday afternoon we asked the council if it had reopened the toilets, we were told: “Yes… In line with the re-opening of the high street, the council made the decision to open some of its public toilets from today. To operate these as safely as possible with the resource the council has available, the toilets will be open between 9am and 6pm.”
But there has been no information made available about which toilets have been opened and which stay closed. Toilets on the West Hill and near the bandstand in Alexandra Park are open while all other toilet facilities in the park stay shut
Earlier this morning we asked HBC for more information on the reopening including information on any special measures that have had to be put in place but so far no more information has been forthcoming.
Writing on Facebook last night Councillor Andy Batsford said not announcing the reopening was: “Probably a good idea.”
He went on to explain that a “soft low key opening” would allow cleaning staff and officers can see the safety procedures were working before they were rolled out across all toilets.
“It’s a massive risk to staff and general public and not to be rushed into,” he concluded.
Disabled toilets near the car park’s should be open disgusting expecting disabled to wait till home some suffer like my husband did who couldn’t wait that long