Loo users who don't spend a penny frustrating publicans

Monday, 18 October 2010 14:06

People coming in to their premises to spend a penny, but seldom a euro, are frustrating some business owners in Westport. Councillor Johnny O'Malley has received a number of complaints, mainly from publicans, that there are no public toilets in the town, apart from the one pay facility on Mill Street. Speaking at a meeting of Mayo County Council's area committee yesterday (Monday), Councillor O'Malley said when people get off buses they make for the pubs to use the toilet facilities. Some are abusing the service, messing the place and leaving without buying even a cup of tea.
The Fine Gael representative suggested these publicans should be getting a reduction in their rates for the service they provide.
Councillor Peter Flynn said the public toilet debate had gone on for a long time, with the facilities at the Crescent knocked in 2004.
The public toilets there were not a pretty place, and he would not welcome a return to that type of facility in the town.
Councillor Flynn suggested there was a certain obligation on people with public buildings, be they pubs, hotels or civic buildings, that they would have some degree of facilitation for people. By and large people use them for the right reasons.
If behaviour wasn't appropriate and damage was caused, that was a matter for the gardaí.