Loss of public toilets more than inconvenience

I APPLAUD your article about the worrying closure of public loos in Scotland. I always think places with public toilets give a better impression to visitors. With a large proportion of older folk in the population, having good facilities should be regarded as essential, for both locals and tourists. Please keep up the pressure to avoid closures.

gillian PaRK, via email. I ENtIrELY agree that the provision of decent public toilets is a matter of dignity. I am now 82 and apart from being on chemotherapy, which aggravates the problem of being ‘caught short’, I have been quite fit for my age. However, that doesn’t help with the inconvenience that afflicts most of us in our advancing years of needing to use a loo as a matter of urgency when the urge strikes. It is no help to ‘cross your legs’, and the danger of an involuntary leak is a worry and huge a potential embarrassment. We need to know that public toilets are conveniently placed in towns and tourist hot spots so that we can relax, knowing that our basic needs are catered for. david Powell, hightae, dumfriesshire. COUNCILS have been closing public lavatories for years so what are the public supposed to do, wear incontinence pads before they go out for the day? We pay taxes to ensure essential public services are available when and wherever we need them. Surely public lavatories are pretty high on the list of ‘essential public services’. Perhaps it’s only when the public start going into their local councillor’s office, or even home, and ask if they can use their toilet that the message will get through. M. RoBeRtson, via email.