Works to take place on Margate Stone Pier and Broadstairs harbour toilets ahead of council’s public loo ‘strategy’

The Stone Pier Photo Frank Leppard

Findings from a survey into the condition of Thanet’s public toilets are expected next week, councillors at a meeting last night (March 30) were told.

The details of the survey will be used for a public toilet strategy for repairs/refurbishment which will be released after the local election in May.

In response to a question from Broadstairs Cllr Ruth Bailey, cabinet member Cllr George Kup revealed the Broadstairs Harbour Street toilets are due to be rendered and painted.

‘Eyesore’

Cllr Bailey said the block was currently “a constant eyesore in a conservation area. The community payback team are willing to paint the outside but they need the rendering made good first.”

Cllr Kup said the rendering of the Broadstairs block will “take place soon.”

Harbour Arm

Cllr Bailey also noted the tender for works at Margate’s Harbour Arm toilets has gone out, saying it was “good news.”

The dire condition of the Harbour Arm toilets has been an issue for several years. However, Thanet council took back management of the Stone Pier fin 2021 after revealing the lease with then landlord Margate Harbour Arm Ltd  (MHAL) would not be renewed.

MHAL had leased the harbour arm for a nominal £1 per year from 2008 until February 2021. Now TDC is undertaking the long-awaited repairs to the loos.

The works, valued at up to £35,000, are due to begin next month and will involve stripping out and replacement of all fixtures, fittings, sanitaryware, wall finishes and plumbing services for the ladies, men’s and accessible toilets.

The work at the Harbour Arm is expected to last for 6 weeks.

Portable toilets in Margate (photo TDC)

Temporary toilets have been installed in Margate while repairs take place at the Harbour Arm and also the Nayland toilets. Facilities at The Centre are currently closed due to fire damage and the Clocktower toilets in Marine Drive have been shut since 2019 due to ‘structural problems’.

Thanet council has installed the temporary toilets on Marine Terrace and near Droit House. These will stay in place until late September. Temporary loos are also being installed at Botany Bay.

Public toilets in Cavendish Street, Ramsgate, are also shut due to antisocial behaviour and drug use at the site.

Public toilets review

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.

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.

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. Some of this maintenance got underway last year.

A public toilet strategy was earmarked to be discussed at the start of this year and this is now confirmed to be taking place after the May elections.

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.

16 Comments

  1. Toolets need rendering and painting and we are looking for volunteers. Us doing the work and then paying council tax.There is a thkng called a professional,who if paid to do the work could hopefully do a proper job.Instead it will be done in tin pot fashion.
    Thank god for volunteers because this place would look dreadful.Perhaps the council co do us the honour of sweeping,weeding ,litter pick and dig the detritus that is festooned all over the approach to Ramsgate and around the harbour.Nothing like a nice seaside welcome to tourists.

  2. Can the council not pay some pubs to allow people to use their toilets!
    It might also lead to increased sales too . Wetherspoons never seem to mind anyone popping in to use their loos !

    • TDC came up with that hare-brained scheme a few years ago. It was firmly rejected by businesses who did not want hoards of wet or sand-covered visitors trapsing through their shops, cafés, restaurants, etc. – thus leaving the toilet in an unsavoury condition and not spending any money as a customer of that business.

  3. We live in a low tax country by comparison with most western democracies. People vote for a low tax regime – the two biggest mainstream parties are currently arguing about who can lower taxes most – yet the same people (I guess they’re often the same people) complain that all the services paid for from taxes are neglected and in decline. How do they imagine that they will get Scandinavian levels of social provision with US levels of taxation?

    • But we don’t vote for a local council that throws money away, animal exports, ineffective commercial property department, failed almo venture, port ramsgate farce, endless gagging orders and settlements. Etc Etc Etc.
      Or should we have bottomless pockets to cover all this?

  4. Hear hear Tony. The basics of economics and taxation should be taught in school so that everyone fully understands why there are limits on what the government, social services, local councils etc can provide.

  5. We are all tired of hearing that the councils do not have to provide public conveniences by law and have been subject to cuts. Other councils or seaside resorts manage to provide modern facilities and Thanet also could if it wasted less money in the way it managed its affairs.
    It comes to something when recently Tracy Emin has to write a piece in the national press bemoaning the lack of public conveniences in Thanet, making it even more difficult for those with disabilities. Many residents have been bitterly complaining for years about this fact. At last something is going to be done, but not in time for thEaster holiday I gather .

    • It would be very welcome if Tracey Emin opened the doors of all her establishments locally to allow the public to use the facilities when caught short.

  6. We are all tired of hearing that the councils do not have to provide public conveniences by law and have been subject to cuts. Other councils or seaside resorts manage to provide modern facilities and Thanet also could if it wasted less money in the way it managed its affairs.
    It comes to something when recently Tracy Emin has to write a piece in the national press bemoaning the lack of public conveniences in Thanet, making it even more difficult for those with disabilities. Many residents have been bitterly complaining for years about this fact. At last something is going to be done, but not in time for the Easter holiday I gather .

  7. Roman, i agree other resorts or attractions all over the country have more modern loos , I.e blocks with individual cubicles put somewhere less conspicuous or at least not on the pavement such as the clock tower.

    • Indeed – I think this will now be the fourth consecutive year that the toilet cubicles have been dumped on the busy seafront footpath. The toilet doors open outwards directly into the face of any adults or children that may happen to be walking past at the time.

      It now seems that priority is to be given to the small toilet on the pier that is used by a few dozen people rather than the Clock Tower toilets that are used by hundreds if not thousands.

      • Has TDC been transparent on how much it would cost to fix the Clocktower toilets? Have they got several quotes for the work?
        These were the most used public toilets during the Summer season in Margate and should be repaired. The block up the other end of the beach was built for disabled users as well but are now the only toilets for the whole beach area, other than the portaloos on the pavement, not suitable for wheelchair users.
        The money wasted over the years on portaloos and now also £35,000 on the Harbour arm toilet, which is too far away for Margate beach users, could have gone towards the bill for the clocktower toilets.
        TDC might not have to supply public toilets but it is essential for tourism. Other coastal districts can do it so why not Thanet? They can apply for funding similar to the Town Deal money then spend it on essential repairs instead of giving it away to private companies like Dreamland so they can make higher profits which does not help the town at all.

  8. So totally a different article, but kentlive ,ses that broadstairs rates a 4.5 out of 5 for the best beach in kent, yes
    if you like sitting and swimming in human poo and urine ,from the local water works , you can sometimes even smell it .

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