Concerns raised as public toilets across Westmorland and Furness could be sold
Public toilet buildings across Westmorland and Furness could be sold as the council reviews the land and property it owns.
Some of the facilities are in busy tourist areas, including parts of the Lake District. The possible sales may concern residents, visitors and local businesses if private buyers are not required to keep the toilets open.
Westmorland and Furness Council owns dozens of public conveniences across the area. Buildings which are no longer considered necessary or affordable could be declared surplus and offered for sale.
What could happen to the toilets?
Selling a toilet building would not always mean the facility had to close.
A town council, parish council or community group could take over the site and continue providing public toilets. A private buyer could also keep the toilets open, particularly if the sale included a legal condition protecting their use.
However, there is a risk that a private buyer could have different plans for the property.
Unless firm conditions are included in the sale, a new owner may be able to close the toilets or apply to change the building’s use.
The site could potentially become a café, shop, holiday let, office or another type of development, subject to planning permission.
Why could private ownership be a problem?
Public toilets are a basic service rather than a business which is guaranteed to make money.
A private owner may face cleaning costs, repairs, insurance, water bills and rising energy prices. They may decide that keeping the toilets open is not financially worthwhile.
The owner could also introduce higher charges or limit opening hours to reduce costs. Free public access could be replaced by customer-only use.
There may also be less public control over future decisions. If the toilets remain under council or community ownership, residents can raise concerns with elected representatives. That may be harder when a building is privately owned.
Any private sale without long-term protections could therefore lead to fewer toilets, shorter opening times or higher charges.
Who would be affected by closures?
The loss of public toilets could have a greater impact on some people than others.
Older residents, disabled people, pregnant women and families with young children often need reliable access to toilets. People with bowel or bladder conditions may need to find a facility at short notice.
A lack of toilets can make people feel unable to visit town centres, parks or walking routes. It may also reduce how long visitors stay in an area.
This could affect local shops, cafés and attractions, particularly in places which rely heavily on tourism.
Visitors may also turn to nearby businesses and ask to use staff or customer toilets. This could place extra pressure on small firms which are not equipped to provide a public facility.
Risks in busy Lake District locations
Public toilets play an important role in popular Lake District destinations, where large numbers of visitors arrive during weekends, school holidays and the summer.
Removing a facility could lead to queues at the remaining toilets. It could also increase litter, public urination and pressure on the surrounding countryside.
Remote walking areas can be particularly affected because there may be no suitable alternative nearby.
A public toilet building may appear costly to run, but its wider value can be difficult to measure. It supports tourism, public health and access to outdoor spaces.
Could protections be included?
The council could place conditions on any sale to help protect public access.
These might require the new owner to keep toilets available for a set period, maintain certain opening hours or provide accessible facilities.
However, restrictions must be clear and legally enforceable. A short-term promise may not protect the toilets if the property is sold again in the future.
Community asset transfers may offer another option. A town or parish council could take control of a building with support for repairs and running costs.
This could keep the facility under local control, although community groups would still need enough funding and volunteers to manage it.
A difficult balance for the council
The council must balance the cost of maintaining older buildings against the need to provide important local services.
Selling a property can raise money and remove future repair bills. However, once a public building has been sold, it may be difficult and expensive to bring it back into council ownership.
Residents may therefore want to know which toilets are being considered, whether public access will be protected and how much local consultation will take place.
The key issue will not simply be who buys the buildings. It will be whether each sale includes strong safeguards to ensure the public can continue using the toilets in years to come.
