The debate continues concerning Bridport’s lost public conveniences.

Lost in the sense of vanished and also deprived of help by the authorities.

What stymies the debate is the absence of further counter-arguments on the part of the district council and to a certain extent, the town council.

It was not seen fit to modernise the much-used Bucky Doo Square facilities in tandem with the renovation of the town hall. A footfall survey would have highlighted the importance of their ideal location and workable scale.

They had long been valued by traders, residents and visitors who together provide the impetus for the town’s economic growth and burgeoning popularity.

Between the town hall and the East Street car park facilities, women had sole use of 11 specifically dedicated cubicles. These have now been reduced to one only in the South Street car park block.

Bear in mind also that infants and young children often need to share that same cubicle.

Many women of all ages are reluctant to share the unisex toilets or to block the use of the two unisex disabled faciltiites.

Even more radically, there is not one exclusive gender-identified cubicle available to men.

The toilet block at the bus and coach station is primarily used by the relevant passengers or drive-throughs and it is by no means central. A cute little pseudo ‘Swiss chalet’ covering South Street parking spaces and sporting bright floral window boxes provides no substitute for two functional, if plain buildings.

These were empathetically designed for purpose, shelter, comfort, hygiene and last but not least, dignity.

C Cain

Uploders