Businesses in Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire and Ilkley asked to make loos public (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
Businesses in Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire and Ilkley asked to make loos public
7:00am Friday 14th September 2012 in News
By Marc Meneaud, Aire Valley Chief Reporter
Andy Billingham from The Old Tramshed in Saltaire, which is opening its toilets to members of the public under a new scheme
A controversial scheme dubbed “SatLav”, which involves businesses allowing the public to use their toilets, is being investigated by Bradford Council as it looks to save money providing public loos.
Council chiefs believe the service could provide an invaluable asset to anyone caught short while shopping or visiting Ilkley , Shipley , Saltaire and Bingley – and are calling for businesses to give their views.
Letters have been posted to pubs, clubs and cafes offering publicity on the Council’s website in exchange for allowing non-paying visitors to use their toilets.
Shipley Councillor Martin Love said the proposed scheme could provide a “win-win” solution for the businesses, as well as saving taxpayers money through the closure of public toilets during quiet times.
“It would allow us to reduce the hours in which the staffed toilets are manned,” he said. “The idea that they are staffed throughout the day seven days a week, 52 weeks a year is unsustainable when there will be days when nobody goes in those toilets.
“But there will be days when the staff are needed, such as when the Saltaire Festival is on and there are a lot of people in the village.
“If we can guarantee keeping them open during the busy times and let the businesses take over during the quiet times, it could be a win-win situation.”
The Council currently pays for attendants at five locations in the district.
They are in Brook Street, Ilkley, Myrtle Place, Bingley, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Market Street, Shipley, and in Central Park, Bridgehouse Lane, Haworth .
Robin Silver, a director of Salts Estates at Salts Mill, Victoria Road, Saltaire, was sent a letter by Bradford Council explaining its proposals.
He said: “The SatLav is to minimise the cost of the provision of public toilets by the local authority by getting businesses or even private individuals to open up their toilets, which will be listed on the Council’s website, but they do not get any financial contribution or reduction of rates.”
The planned scheme has been backed by Andy Billingham, who runs The Old Tramshed in Shipley.
However, Ellen Massarella of Massarella’s cafe bar and gallery, in Victoria Road, Saltaire, said: “I have had people just marching through the doors to use the toilet and you can see they are not customers. Also, what if the toilet gets blocked? Who will be responsible if that happens?”
Barry Cooper, of Shipley Business Watch, said the scheme could throw up problems of liability if anyone is injured while using businesses’ toilets.
Ian Bairstow, the Council’s strategic director for environment and sport, said: “As part of Bradford Council’s review of public toilet provision, we are looking at all options to ensure access to toilets.
“Obviously the consultation is in its very early stages but feedback from business owners will give us an indication whether it would be practical to give the scheme any further consideration.”
There have been other SatLav schemes, including in Westminster, London, in 2007, which uses satellite technology to guide shoppers to the nearest toilet by sending them a text on their mobile phone.
Comments(21)
Z.Raja
says...
8:15am Fri 14 Sep 12
whoflungdung
says...
8:26am Fri 14 Sep 12
Do me a favour Bradford Council - get your act together and actually do something for this city. If you want vsitors to come - provide the right facilities.
PlatPlat
says...
9:42am Fri 14 Sep 12
Prisoner Cell Block A
says...
9:43am Fri 14 Sep 12
Mr Businessperson: Get lost twerps, why not ask the 1000s of householders to open their doors, why would I want non-paying, possibly thieving rats in my shop?
Are you lot really a council or a group of Brownies but with less forward planning and the sense of a muddy rock.
Albion.
says...
10:23am Fri 14 Sep 12
markjoe
says...
10:47am Fri 14 Sep 12
I can see why the guy from the old tram shed is all up for this, whose going to attempt to cross Saltaire round a bout to use his toilets.
Not really a working scheme. The pubs in Bingley could allow the public to use their toilets rather than the shops there plenty of them.
markjoe
says...
10:48am Fri 14 Sep 12
markjoe wrote:Sorry should have been because of not because for.
Who is going to pay the businesses the extra cost of cleaning the toilets and also business don't do this because for the added cost of liability insurance.
I can see why the guy from the old tram shed is all up for this, whose going to attempt to cross Saltaire round a bout to use his toilets.
Not really a working scheme. The pubs in Bingley could allow the public to use their toilets rather than the shops there plenty of them.
Walruss
says...
11:05am Fri 14 Sep 12
It's not really been thought through, and don't give me the excuse that this is why we are consulting businesses. Council staff and councillors should have done their homework first.
No, I reckon it's a loos - loos situation.
Paul Marfell
says...
11:14am Fri 14 Sep 12
It may be attempted with other pubs as Baildon works at "Walkers are Welcome"
Paul Marfell
says...
11:51am Fri 14 Sep 12
A benefit will be that isolated public loos where people can loiter with dubious intent will be a thing of the past, or their use limited to like minded people.
neoteric
says...
1:17pm Fri 14 Sep 12
BUT, I would gladly buy something in return because I wouldn't want to take advantage, or perhaps paying a small fee for a 'card' that gives access would be better and deter people who want to just loiter and take advantage.
Knowing I could use facilities at lots of places would make life easier.
neoteric
says...
1:19pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Albion.
says...
1:24pm Fri 14 Sep 12
neoteric wrote:That's a very relevant point that you raise, there are certainly people who need access to facilities.
I'd just add, I have used the Bridge Pub before for this as I had to rush off a bus during one episode of IBS, and I did buy some crisps in return :) Thank the lord the Pub was there and open. Funny, but also, not funny.
Bingleyite
says...
1:35pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Albion. wrote:Absolutely, which is why Bradford Council should be providing facilities not trying to pass the responsibility to everyone else.
neoteric wrote:That's a very relevant point that you raise, there are certainly people who need access to facilities.
I'd just add, I have used the Bridge Pub before for this as I had to rush off a bus during one episode of IBS, and I did buy some crisps in return :) Thank the lord the Pub was there and open. Funny, but also, not funny.
I can imagine that most business holders would be happy in an emergency to allow anyone to use the facilities. But why should they have to allow anyone to wander in with no contribution from the council towards cleaning etc.
Ridiculous suggestion and one if I were a business holder in those areas I would be refusing.
neoteric
says...
1:46pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Bingleyite wrote:I do agree they should get some contribution in return and the council shouldn't simply fob off responsibilities, if thet are doing.
Albion. wrote:Absolutely, which is why Bradford Council should be providing facilities not trying to pass the responsibility to everyone else.
neoteric wrote:That's a very relevant point that you raise, there are certainly people who need access to facilities.
I'd just add, I have used the Bridge Pub before for this as I had to rush off a bus during one episode of IBS, and I did buy some crisps in return :) Thank the lord the Pub was there and open. Funny, but also, not funny.
I can imagine that most business holders would be happy in an emergency to allow anyone to use the facilities. But why should they have to allow anyone to wander in with no contribution from the council towards cleaning etc.
Ridiculous suggestion and one if I were a business holder in those areas I would be refusing.
buffetlegs
says...
2:02pm Fri 14 Sep 12
I notice that Cafe Nero on Market Street already turns a blind eye to people comi
ng in off the street to use the loos.
cockadoodledo
says...
5:12pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Would love to hear what our Bingley Councillors have to say about this, in fact what have they done for Bingley over recent years, I can't think of anything. Ar! perhaps they will come up TRUMPS and pay for the funding out of their 28% rise in expences?
The names in case we have all forgotten are Councillor David Heseltine 01274 597230, Coun. Mark Shaw 07504066762 and Councillor John Pennington 01535692251. Busnesses should approach these people.
Dragon Saddle
says...
7:59pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Well done the Tories, another idea poo pooed.
cockadoodledo
says...
5:41pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Stupid idea!!
JWP
says...
10:10pm Wed 19 Sep 12
Not all folk wash their hands and the thought of them handling the shop goods on the way out.Yuk.
By the way where are the Public Toilets in Brook Street Ilkley ?
Unless were talking about Costa Coffee.
What a crap council. Can't even supply the coucil tax payers with a pot to p**s in !!
thatsnotmyname says...
7:50am Fri 14 Sep 12