As the summer season approaches it is obvious that the decision so far not reopen two of the four Rye public conveniences is causing considerable problems for visitors to the town.
I understand that there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to provide public toilets which seems to me to be wrong, but it is the reason that Rother are able to cut the facilities. However in a town like Rye which is trying to attract visitors upon whom many local businesses depend, the lack of toilet provision is damaging tourism.
Many people have arrived by car or coach and have a need for these facilities. In particular the closure of the toilet at Strand Quay near the Heritage Centre deters visitors from exploring the river area and similarly there is currently no toilet in the Gun Garden for visitors to the Ypres Tower museum.
I have been asked several times in the past week for directions by families and pensioners, I would urge Rother to reconsider the closure of these two toilets for the summer period as otherwise many visitors will be deterred from coming here and our tourist trade will suffer.
quel dommage comment fait on lorsqu’on arrive au port? Il y a deux ans j’étais très content de les avoir car on avait rien d’autre
Not sure it helps but there are toilets in the library when its open but do agree it would be helpful if Strand Quay would re open .
Residents do pay a council tax suppliment to the town council so one would hope that toilets could be kept open .
This is so bad when the the Environment Agency are doing such sterling work on the Strand. Where do they go to the loo? Summer is coming what will the visitors do……
Having the quayside toilet closed is having financial impact on the Heritage Centre, Rye Town Model.
The model is our main source of revenue, charging £5 per person which is all profit enabling us to keep the charity and the model alive.
As visitors arrive to see a show, knowing it’s 20 minutes, ask where the nearest toilet and we direct them to the station toilets, a 10 minute walk ( there and back). Needless to say, they often don’t return.
The situation has made it worse managing coach parties, the first question asked is where’s the nearest toilet.
Rother District Council recognise that tourism is the life blood of the town, time to review the impact of the trial
Public toilets are clearly a vital facility required by both visitors and locals. Businesses in Rye, most of which are tourism reliant, need to keep visitors happy. Given that local businesses are shortly to be asked to pay a levy for town improvements, may I suggest that part of this money is used to reopen the Strand public conveniences? We also hear that Rye’s share of Rother’s levelling up money could be in excess of £2 million. Even if only the annual interest on this amount were to be deployed, one could reopen the toilets, give the Council new robes, save the Bowling Club, pay for street cleaning after the Bonfire and a host of other things. Let’s use this windfall (if it materialises) for things the town actually needs, and which benefit the whole of Rye’s population.
This is a very bad decision. So many tourists come to Rye and many are on Coach trips organised for the elderly. Also when trains are late friends and relatives meeting them often need the toilets. I have a shop and i am frequently asked where they can find a toilet.
Hopefully The Council will reexamine this issue. Most people would be willing to pay to use them as they do in other European countries.
Yours sincerely,
It’s a shocking decision, sadly happening all across the country. I don’t know what they charge for the station toilets, if it’s 20p increase it to 50p – almost everywhere does charge now. All the toilets have been closed between Winchelsea and the Hastings Country Park, surely those ‘in charge’ realise the impact that’s going to have on the environment – the beaches etc….are any of the parties going to put their hands up and save our loos? If so I think they’d get more than a few votes in the forthcoming local elections!!!
This is a terrible message the council is sending to tourists.