Setting record straight on toilets
Sir, Following the information in last week’s Banner I would like to set the record straight on behalf of Lochranza and Catacol Community Association. Your information stated: ‘despite the best efforts of the council it has not proved possible to find a group willing to take over the ownership of the public toilets in Lochranza’.
The council took the decision to close public toilets in February 2016. It was not until early 2017 that they contacted local community groups, despite the closure date being the end of March. This left very little time for solutions to be investigated.
Our toilets in Lochranza are located at a fairly busy spot – Lochranza Pier ferry terminal, take away food outlet, yacht pontoon, popular spot for overnight camping and cyclists.
We were told it costs £2,500 per year to run them and they require £6,500 of work to bring them up to standard. Our bank account currently stands at £150.
In Lochranza we suggested a two-fold solution. 1. CalMac (CMAL) should take over the toilets next to their pier or provide a facility in their refurbished waiting room. 2. We would look to provide a public toilet outside Lochranza Hall in the same style as that outside Corrie Hall.
We asked North Ayrshire – through the Arran Community Council as they will not communicate directly with village organisations – if they would support us in these efforts. Having been in touch with CMAL as a community group, they are unwilling to provide toilets at Lochranza Pier. I am not aware of any efforts by North Ayrshire to communicate directly with CMAL to investigate ‘joint’ solutions. We asked North Ayrshire if they would make the funds obtained from the sale of Lochranza toilets (these are being sold at a commercial building rate, same in Brodick) available to the village hall to allow them to ‘step up’ where the council have ‘stepped out’. Answer so far is ‘no’.
Now I applaud all attempts being made to sign petitions. However the only public writing that politicians or councillors take heed of is your ‘X’ at the ballot box.
I suggest anyone who feels inconvenienced by the lack of toilets on Arran – locals or Ayrshire visitors – think about who voted these cuts through when they cast their vote in May.
Yours, Chris Traill chairman Lochranza and Catacol Community Association