Bid to open more of Edinburgh's public toilets thrown out by councillors

Seven already set to reopen on Monday

A BID to open more public toilets across the city has been thrown out after councillors were warned it would mean cutting spending elsewhere.

Seven loos - at Cramond, Hawes Pier, Bruntsfield Links, Saughton Park, Princes Street Gardens, the Meadows and Pipe Lane in Portobello - are already set to open from Monday next week after public protests about people relieving themselves in public places.

But opposition councillors called for more to be added to the list, including Bath Street in Portobello, Hamilton Place in Stockbridge, Harlaw visitor centre in Balerno and Colinton.

The public toilets at Pipe Lane, Portobello, are among seven which will reopen on Monday

However, officials said the cost of opening the seven until the end of October was £143,500 and that would go up to £300,000 if they were kept open until the end of the year.

And council chief executive Andrew Kerr said: “If I had a spare £300,000 would I spend it on opening up public toilets as a priority against something else? I would not. We are in danger of taking things in isolation as they come at us.”

He said the council had a £30 million deficit and as it was allowed to reopen museums, galleries and libraries, there would be more costs. “We are going to have to make some choices at some time about what opens and what doesn’t.”

Council leader Adam McVey did, however, accept a Lib Dem call for a further report on the measures and investment which would be needed to allow more toilets to be opened.