What is young family to do if they are caught short at ferry terminal?
There was a heated debate at Arran Community Council over the future provision of public toilets on Arran.
And there was a warning from chairman Bill Calderwood when he said: ‘Don’t be surprised if you see signs going up across the island saying, “Toilets are for customers only”.’
The community council has spent the past few days before today’s deadline trying to thrash out the transfer of the toilets which are to come under community control. These are at Kilmory, Whiting Bay, Sandbraes and Glen Sannox.
There was particular concern over Lochranza. Mr Calderwood raised the scenario. A young family are sitting for an hour in a car waiting for the ferry. They can’t take the car out of the queue, so what do they do?’
And the frustration over the Whiting Bay transfer led village representative John Lamont to remark: ‘We have got to pick up North Ayrshire’s mess.’
He said he hoped the Scottish Government would step into the debate and make it a statutory requirement for local authorities to provide public toilets. He asked: ‘If you can find money for badger fences in Lamlash, why can’t the council provide toilets?’
There is further confusion at Glen Sannox since the community is to be given a new facility at a new location still to be determined.
Corrie and Sannox representative Barry Mochan asked if the existing facility was to stay open, but island office Gus Macleod said it was on the list to be closed.
Shiskine representative Neil Arthur said the west of the island was being abandoned again, with Blackwaterfoot and Shiskine being left without any facilities. He said the community had no intention of taking over a facility at such a dangerous location but would consider a facility elsewhere. However, members heard the chemical disposal facilities at Blackwaterfoot and Whiting Bay would remain.
Mr Arthur had the last word. He said: ‘The public toilets at Tarbert, Loch Fyne are paid entry, have showers and are immaculate. These are the sort of facilities we should have across the island and there is an excellent example not far away. It can be done if there is the will.’