LDRSLocal businesses and residents have shared their frustration after Edinburgh Council failed to find funding for new public toilets in Portobello ahead of the summer season.
Sunny weather can draw thousands of people to the shore, overwhelming the existing toilets. Locals and business owners alike say that the current closing time of 6pm leads people to use streets and gardens instead.
Edinburgh City Council was considering facilities alongside plans to spend £550,000 refurbishing existing toilets at St Margaret’s and Victoria parks and building a new set of toilets near Cramond Beach.
Businesses are becoming overwhelmed by the demand for their on-site toilets. Hundreds of people use their facilities daily, often without paying.
Rikki Kuczynski, manager of the Esplanade restaurant off Bath Street, said: “It’s a big issue for us, especially on busy weekends when you’re filled with customers. We’re not talking about ten, 20 people, we’re talking about hundreds wanting to use the toilets.
“The biggest issue seems to be kids, having bonfires, having fun on the beach. When they come in, they trash the place in minutes.
“This is an ongoing problem every year. It’s a problem for other businesses as well.”
LDRSRikki said he thought the council should take action and expressed that beachside destinations elsewhere often had ample public toilets, including showers and foot washing stations.
There are two sets of public toilets near the beach—one at Pipe Lane and the other 300m from the shore on Bath Street.
They only have toilets on site – though the permanent toilets proposed by the SNP group would have included showers.
He also said that groups of young people, especially later in the evening, could be abusive towards restaurant staff when refused access to the toilets.
Maciek Pagowski, manager of Miro’s, a restaurant on the promenade, said: “I feel disappointed in the council – there’s a mess everywhere. I don’t understand why they can’t find the money to fix this.
“I think the biggest problem is the 6 o’clock closing time. The neighbours are unhappy with people peeing under their windows – it’s common sense, the council knows that every summer this place is busy. Closing toilets at 6pm is ridiculous.
“Obviously, we let disabled people, kids, and pregnant women use the toilets. But we cannot let everyone in, it’s not possible.”
Several local residents shared Rikki and Maciek’s concerns, and some agreed that a substantial issue was the 6pm closing time.
One, Craig Ellison, said the location and opening times of the toilets were a concern, saying: “The number of them, no, the location of them, yes.
“Most people are out drinking on the beach after they close, and then they just urinate on the streets, urinate on the side of houses, urinate on fences – it’s disgusting.
“And the walk [to some of the toilets] is too far – if people have to walk more than three minutes, they’ll do what they want, really.”
Another local, Denise McGee, said: “They could definitely do with more public toilets, especially in the summer.
“It’s something that would enhance the area, and I think people would really see the benefit of it.”
A third, Lewis, said: “The winter months aren’t too bad, there’s less footfall. But in the summer, there’s definitely an issue.
“May through to August, people are using the street and stuff like that. The bars and restaurants do their best, but public toilets would be better.
“I’ve lived here for two years, and I’ve seen [people using the street] through winter and summer.”
However, not all residents agreed. One local, Agata, said the issue “was not much of a problem” to her.
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