Portable toilets have not been installed on Margate seafront and at Botany Bay despite the expectation of a busy Easter weekend.
Last year the portable toilets were put in place at the end of March but that has not been repeated this year with Thanet council saying there are enough public toilets for “sufficient provision.”
Margate Central ward councillors Rob Yates and Helen Whitehead say extra provision is needed now.
Cllr Yates added: “Last year, the Labour-run Thanet District Council ensured that Portaloos were in place along Margate seafront over Easter.
“This Easter, with a Conservative-run administration, there will not be any. It is difficult to predict how serious this situation will be but based on how busy the beach was yesterday it is obvious that we need additional toilets now.
“As a Ward Councillor for Margate Central I am confident that the majority of Margate residents and businesses would rather be safe than sorry.
“We all remember seeing huge queues outside our toilets, tourists rudely walking into bars and restaurants needing to use the facilities, and the negative image this gives our town. In addition to this, the Thanet Easter Beer & Cider Festival is happening at Winter Gardens today (April 15) and tomorrow so there is likely to be higher demand than normal.
“My Labour colleagues and I will continue to push for the summer portaloos to be reinstated as soon as possible until such time as the Clocktower toilets can be replaced.”
Fifty extra bins have been put out in preparation for tourists coming to the isle and public toilets are open, other than those at the clocktower in Marine Drive which were shut in 2019 due to ‘structural problems’ and have remained closed ever since.
