Thanet council denies claim of public toilet closures in Ramsgate

Pier Yard toilets image google

Thanet council says rumours circulating today (August 14) that the authority is planning to shut down public toilets in Ramsgate are incorrect.

Fears were raised that loos at Ramsgate cemetery, King George VI Park and the main sands, as well as the already shut facilities in Cavendish Street, would be closed permanently from next year.

However, Thanet council says the rumours are not true.

A spokesperson said: “Rumours surrounding the imminent closure of a number of public toilets in Ramsgate are not true.”

Thanet council leader Ash Ashbee and Cabinet Member for Community Safety George Kup also issued a statement, saying: “In relation to the Facebook post of this morning headed “SAVE OUR LOOS” implying that the Tory-led Thanet council is closing four toilets in Ramsgate, the real facts are that we are working to find a long term and sustainable solution to keep the toilets in the district open and for longer periods.

“The toilets will not be closed, in fact the plan is to have the beach toilets open longer not just in the main summer holidays.

“A full review is underway and various solutions will be sought to provide well maintained facilities available for the public. On completion of the review the outcome will be presented at Cabinet for an open and transparent discussion.

“The Cavendish Street toilets in Ramsgate closed in March 2022 as a result of continued anti-social and criminal behaviour which put TDC staff at risk and will remain closed until a suitable solution can be found.”

Toilet review(s)

In 2019 a review into the future of the isle’s public toilets was announced by TDC as part of a bid to save £175,000 in its 2019-20 budget. A community loo deal with local businesses was one idea suggested although no further action was made public.

Thanet council’s corporate statement for 2019-2023 stated it planned to: “Undertake a full and thorough review of our public toilet facilities including providing incentives for businesses to make good quality facilities available to the public.”

A review was then agreed in November 2020 when it was reported by TDC that a total of 28 public toilets were open to the public over the summer season with 13 on or near to Thanet beaches. The review and recommendations were due to be reported back to Cabinet members in March 2021 although this did not take place due to the continued pandemic.

The council’s 2020/21 budget made a proposal to invest in a public toilet refurbishment programme, reversing the plan to make £175,000 in savings, although this has not yet taken place.

Town council management suggestion

Ramsgate Town Council clerk Laura Fidler says there was a suggestion that RTC could take over facilities but this was rejected.

She said: “I confirm that earlier in the year Thanet District Council asked Ramsgate Town Council to consider taking on management of the following public conveniences:

  • Pier Yard
  • Cavendish Street
  • King George VI Park
  • Ramsgate Cemetery

“Ramsgate Town Council considered the matter in March 2022 and resolved not to.  We’re not aware of any decision by Thanet District Council to close these facilities.”

Town councillor David Green says the reason RTC did not take the plan forward is because it requested information from TDC regarding the likely, cost of maintaining the toilets, and the terms of any transfer. These were not provided and so the idea was rejected, says Cllr Green.

Councils are not required by law to provide loos and continuing cuts to local authority funding have resulted in public toilets plunging by more than 600 across the country since 2010.

At a meeting hosted by Southern Water in April it was revealed the firm is in talks with Thanet council about improvements to public toilets with water efficient facilities.

35 Comments

  1. Just to be clear, RTC requested information from TDC regarding the likely, cost of maintaining the toilets, and the terms of any transfer. These were not provided to us, hence rejection the idea.

  2. I find it amazing that Cavendish Street toilets are shut. It is plain and obvious that those toilets are the only public loos in town. With town shops and banks etc closing at an alarming rate I wonder if it is part of the local plan to have the first virtual Ghost Town, similar to the Escape Rooms, free to enter but a prize if you get out unharmed and without a Parking ticket 🥲🥲🥲

    • There are toilets near the Pavilion and near Ramsgate Tunnels. Is the seafront not part of the town?

      It is not the local council’s fault if banks close. Previous councils may well be held responsible,of course, for the damage caused to Thanet towns by the construction of Westwood Cross.

  3. As I understand it the Cavendish Street toilets were closed due to the nature of what was going on in there. Personally I’d prefer not to use facilities frequented or abused by the public for their drug habits.

  4. Oh no council plan another sale .?.not going to sell them of to make more flats …don’t worry there’s enough Sewage foam on the beaches in Ramsgate we don’t need loos

  5. More behind this me thinks, if one is really busting one has to go. There is an alley by the side so one will use that same as for drugs.
    Both carry fines or worse.

    I am pleased the area is a no go area as I was mugged of £1.00 to park my car so wont get a ticket in an area that is unsafe, makes sense to me , what council you expect me to stop for a min when its scary for your workers to go in the bog.

  6. Ms Reed you Judy don’t like the truth , Ramsgate is 3rd world , you just walk around with your head up your own arse

    • Of course Ramsgate is not “third world”. What a pity that there is a significant percentage of comments on this paper by people who seem to have a completely negative view of the area they live in.

      • Oh for goodness sake I do wonder sometimes whether Ms Quot and Ms Rees as she calls herself now go around with tinted spectacles. A lot of roads in Ramsgate are filthy with litter dropped by individuals who are to my mind vermin and the town is a mess. On a recent visit to the town centre in July at 9 am in the morning three individuals worse for wear from drink or substance abuse swore at each other and argued over money whilst attempting to get cash from a bank machine.

        Finally on a positive note the people who really deserve proper recognition are the cleansing and waste teams of TDC who are fighting a thankless battle to try and keep the area clean!

  7. Perhaps Ramsgate can go back to Tudor times-with people doing their business in the street, would go nicely with the doggies dumpings.

  8. Micturation & defecation are necessary human functions that should be regarded as a Human Right. Nobody should ever have to be faced with the indignity of wetting or messing themselves in public or, be morally imprisoned within their own home for fear of it.
    Public toilets provision should be given a far higher social and financial priority than it has been historically. Either that, or bylaws passed to decriminalise public evacuations!
    The choice is yours T.D.C. £175k is a pittance in the scheme of things. One day someone will test a council in a Court of Law over this. Dignity in this matter is a right that every colour, creed, orientation, etc. has a right to. Make it so!

  9. Thanet Council is skint. Too much of what we pay in council tax is given out in housing benefit. How many people in Thanet have their rent paid by the Council?

  10. All the toilets are closed around that coast line .. Ramsgate , Broadstairs et etc disgusting and a disgrace. If they are open only at a certain time . When need to wee it’s terrible to try hold it in.

    • I walked the 6 miles from Herne Bay to Whitstable recently, and there are 5 fully functioning and clean public toilets in that stretch – even in the winter. Try walking 6 miles from Margate to Broadstairs in the winter…

  11. The problem is that the previous Labour administration promised a full review of the public toilet provision in Thanet that simply didn’t materialise. In the information vacuum that followed, people are joining the dots themselves. It’s a classic TDC own goal.

    As others have said, we market ourselves as an all round tourist destination but try cycling or walking from Broadstairs to Margate after October. There isn’t one set of toilets open. It’s shameful.

  12. Perhaps if the council officials stopped pontificating mindless issues at non essential meeting they could share the one job amongst theirselves on a rota basis, this job being on site lavatory attendant .

  13. I heard all TDC public toilets to close except at Blue Flag beaches – typical of our small town, small minded politicians playing silly blame game politics. If toilets are being used for antisocial purposes then tackle the problem, don’t take the easy way out. If £175k is earmarked for upgrades, spend it don’t just use it as a points scoring empty soundbite.
    I cannot think of any seaside resort with such poor public amenities as Thanet.

  14. Even when toilets are supposedly open, the council employ people to lock them. Westgate station road was locked at 5.40 two friday 5th. Broadstairs they lock the disabled toilet at the bandstand at 7pm in summer with a padlock so radar keys still won’t work, but the non disabled toilets are open to around 8pm

  15. Do you think you could manage to stop saying these silly things, which are an insult to most of the local population, “real world”?

  16. you would need an armed guard with you to enter that karsy up on the west cliff , ( or the cottage as its known in certain circles i hear ) – i think i would rather s**t myself than chance that place

  17. TDC are going to refurbish the toilets at Broadstairs Harbour but that was a rumour they are quite happy to leave like a s—-t tip.

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