Nowhere to go! Save Gravesend's historic Parrock St. public loos.

Whilst I appreciate your initiative to bring the former toilets at Parrock Street in to use I found your report factually incorrect and woefully lacking in consideration for disabled people, the law and financial considerations.

In the report you state quite clearly

There is, of course, no shortage of loos in the Civic Centre . But thousands of us mere ageing peasants are stamping our feet out there in the cold looking anxiously for a loo . And we have nowhere to ‘go’ !

Indeed there is no shortage of toilets in the civic centre for staff.  There is the minimum provision for that size building and number of staff.  Indeed the Civic Centre does have toilets for the public to use, something you fail to mention.

You also appear to be saying that “we have nowhere to go”  Again factually incorrect.  There are the public toilets at Parrock Street, Borough Market, Clive Road, and St Georges Centre, all with baby change facilities and accessible toilets for wheelchair users.  

If these former toilets were to be brought back in to use, without the benefit of a lift at considerable expense (possibly more than £90,000)  these facilities would lack access for disabled people (which is against the Disability Discrimination Act) and would also excludes parents with babies and small toddlers.

If a commercial business could not make a scheme work why do you think a local authority could make a scheme work economically?  To convert them would be very costly indeed and high ongoing maintenance.  

You also state 

“In fact, it is precisely because they know they will not be able to go, many older residents of Gravesham – who as we all know have more disposable income to spend than younger people – no longer come to the town”.  Where is your evidence?  I have seen no surveys or met anyone who feels the toilet provision in Gravesend town centre insufficient or puts them off coming to town.  

So, if you wish to take up an issue, do your homework first and make sure what you say is correct.  It strengthens your case.  Have you even surveyed people’s view about going underground to a toilet,  would they feel threatened and prefer to use existing facilities.  The toilets at Parrock Street and the Borough market are very close by, after all.