Funding public toilets

Decades ago British towns provided public conveniences in abundance. They may often have been smelly, grotty places used for casual sex but they were far better than there being nothing on offer. In later years councils developed the habit of locking them outside business hours as if the public do not visit town centers elsewhen.

As austerity in public spending filtered down to local governments there was bound to be some deleterious effect on public services. It has been interesting to see how the needle is threaded at various coastal attractions in Cornwall: the toilets are always open but at a cost of twenty pence.