The Lade car park public toilets at Lydd-on-Sea will now be available all year round thanks to a partnership between the council and a neighbouring business.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council is working with the owners of Infinity Sport Kitesurfing based in Taylor Road who will act as keyholders to open and close them, keep the cubicles stocked with toilet rolls and report any issues.
The watersports school and its members had raised concerns when the block, which historically has been open 365 days a year, was moving to seasonal opening hours. Budget pressures mean other toilets across the district with higher footfall need to be prioritised for maintenance and cleaning.
The group appreciates having the facilities close by with their activities running throughout the year, and this way forward was found.
The toilets will be open at 8am and close at 4pm seven days a week between now and the end of March, when usual summer opening will kick in.
During the winter, council teams will visit on Mondays and Fridays instead of daily to clean them.
Cllr Connor McConville, Cabinet Member for Assets and Local Government Reorganisation, said: “It is great we have been able to find a suitable solution and have the public working with us to provide essential services.
“I spent time walking around the site with Sylwia from the kitesurfing school to understand the concerns and hear their ideas for the potential alternatives. She then had really positive meetings with our technical services team to finalise the arrangement.
“At a time when council budgets are especially feeling the squeeze, this will help us work smarter while keeping facilities open through the winter period.”
Sylwia Zeleszkiewicz from Infinity Sport Kitesurfing added: “We are very grateful to Folkestone & Hythe District Council for reconsidering the decision and we sincerely appreciate the council’s willingness to work with us to find a practical solution.
“We understand the financial and operational pressures faced by the council and believe this partnership is a positive example of how local businesses and the council can work together to protect and improve facilities that benefit the wider community.
“The Lade car park and its public toilets are an important part of our local watersports playground. But its appeal extends far beyond our immediate watersports community, attracting a remarkably wide range of people who come to enjoy the natural beauty of the coastline throughout the year.
“Knowing that we can contribute to the local community in this way is an honour for us.”
Visit our public toilets page to find out where our toilets are around the district and when they are open.