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Need the loo? Here's where you can access a council-run public toilet in Kent during lockdown

06:00, 30 May 2020

updated: 11:57, 04 June 2020

Following the easing of some lockdown restrictions, more and more people have been enjoying the fresh air in Kent over the last few weeks.

But with parks and beaches becoming increasingly busier, it means people will need to use the bathroom while out and about.

We take a look at what public toilets have reopned
We take a look at what public toilets have reopned

As a result, councils across the country have started re-opening public toilets, while some never closed them.

It comes following complaints that human waste was left behind on Thanet's beaches over the bank holiday weekend.

Here we take a look at what public toilets are now open and when you can use them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Find your nearest public toilet on our interactive map

Ashford

According to Ashford Borough Council's website, all public toilets in the Ashford borough are now closed.

This includes the ones within leisure centres and the ones it owns at Victoria Park and New Rents.

A spokesman said: "We are looking at when and how it will be possible to reopen these safely but there is currently no timescale on when they will reopen.

"When they are opened again we will be updating the appropriate section of the Service Disruption page on our website."

Canterbury

Across Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay, some toilets are closed while others remain open.

In Whitstable, accessible toilets include the ones in Skinners Alley, which is a 24 hour facility, Faversham Road, St Anne's, Harbour Street, Whitstable Cemetery, Beach Walk and the Horsebridge's single 24 hour unisex.

Closed facilities include Horsebridge's Ladies and Gents, Priest & Sow (all) and West Beach.

In Herne Bay, St George's 24 hour facility (near Herne Bay Cemetary), Hampton Pier, Herne Bay Cemetery, William Street, War Memorial Park, Bandstand Outer, Hampton Pleasure, King's Hall, Reculver and Westcliff facilities are all open, while Herne Village and Bandstand Inner toilets are shut.

In the city, the Canterbury Lane 24 hour facility is open, as are the ones at Tower Way and Canterbury Cemetery.

But the Canterbury Coach Park, Best Lane, Worthgate and Toddlers Cove are all closed.

The closed ones will be reopened when staffing levels allow it, Canterbury City Council says.

The St George's public toilets on Central Parade, Herne Bay. Picture: Chris Davey
The St George's public toilets on Central Parade, Herne Bay. Picture: Chris Davey

Dartford

Dartford Borough Council maintains two sets of public conveniences - these are located at Central Park near the Cranford Road entrance, and at Hesketh Park, near the Park Road entrance.

But both are shut.

A spokesman for thc council said: "All of our public conveniences are currently closed and will not be reopened until effective, cleaning, hygiene and social distancing measures can be put in place."

There are toilets at Central Park, Dartford. Picture: Steve Crispe
There are toilets at Central Park, Dartford. Picture: Steve Crispe

Dover

All of Dover District Council's (DDC) public toilets are currently closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

But the authority has decided to re-open them from Tuesday, June 9.

A spokesman said: "We are providing signage both inside and outside the toilets to remind people to protect themselves and others by washing their hands thoroughly, and to stress the importance of maintaining social distancing.

"We will also be making it clear to people how to report any concerns about supplies or standards of cleanliness.

"Since the toilets are unattended, we are relying on those using the facilities to act responsibly.

"We are confident that people will do so, allowing us to keep the facilities open, but we will check regularly and respond swiftly if any issues arise.

"Remember stay alert, control the virus, save lives."

DDC's toilets can be found in Stembrook Car Park, Connaught Park and Kearsney Abbey in Dover.

It also has the following facilities in Deal: Deal Pier cafe, King Street, South Street, Marine Road, Granville Road, Victoria Park and Marke Wood Park.

More council run toilets can be found in The Street, Ash, St Marys Meadow, Wingham, Undercliffe Road, Kingsdown, Reach Road, St Margarets, St Margarets Bay and Aylesham Cemetery.

Walmer's public toilets. Dover District Council will open some of its toilets next month
Walmer's public toilets. Dover District Council will open some of its toilets next month

Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh

In lieu of some of the lifted restrictions, Folkestone and Hythe District Council re-opened several public toilets from Monday, May 18.

Facilities will be accessible daily between 10am and 6pm - although they may be open earlier and closed later depending when the team arrives on site.

A spokesman for the council said: "The decision to reopen some toilets has been taken in light of the slight shift in central government advice and the likelihood of more people being out-and-about in the coming weeks."

Re-opened toilets are Bouverie Place, the coastal park, Radnor Park and the fish market in Folkestone; Somerset Road in Cheriton; Stade Street and Chapel Street in Hythe; Dymchurch main car park; Church Road in New Romney; The Green at Littlestone; The Lade, at Lydd-on-Sea and the Jolly Fisherman at Greatstone.

The toilets at Bouverie Place in Folkestone are open. Pictured is Cllr David Monk and Cllr John Collier officially re-opening the loos earlier this year
The toilets at Bouverie Place in Folkestone are open. Pictured is Cllr David Monk and Cllr John Collier officially re-opening the loos earlier this year

Gravesham

Currently none of the public toilets within Gravesham have been re-opened.

Gravesham Borough Council explained that this is because all of its toilets are currently undergoing water treatment/testing.

Deep cleaning has also been arranged for next week.

A spokesman said they expect to have the results from the water testing returned in the week commencing June 8.

They added: "On the return of the tests we should be in a position to open the toilets.

"We would expect this to be between June 8 and June 15."

The facilities due to re-open are: Gordon Promenade, Camer Park, Parrock Street and Woodlands Park.

All will be opened by 9am and will close between 4.45pm and 5.30pm, excluding the Gordon Promenade which will be staying open later.

Maidstone

Maidstone Borough Council lists several sites on its website for public toilets but they are all currently closed.

These include The Market Hall in the town centre, Clare Park, Cobtree Park, Mote Park(three blocks), Penenden Heath, South Park and Whatman Park.

There are also several out of town blocks, located at the Mid Kent Shopping Centre in Allington, Days Green in Headcorn, in Maidstone Road Lenham, Marden Library Car Park, Bell Lane Car Park in Staplehurst, the Village Hall in Sutton Valence and The Lees Car Park in Yalding.

A spokesman for the council said: "We do not have any Maidstone Borough Council public toilets open yet as we are awaiting Government guidance around when and how they should open."

The unisex toilet is open at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable. Picture: Google Street View
The unisex toilet is open at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable. Picture: Google Street View

Medway

A spokesman for Medway Council said that all their public toilets are open except where they are within buildings which have been closed, for example, at libraries or community hubs.

The toilets found in the country parks have also reopened following the government announcement of the relaxation to travel to exercise.

Medway's public toilets can be located in Admirals Walk in Walderslade Chatham, Castle Gardens in Castle Hill Rochester, Cooling Village Hall in Main Road, Cooling, Rochester, in High Halstow, The Street in High Halstow, in Hoo Car Park in Stoke Road, Hoo, in Gillingham Park in Canterbury Street in Gillingham and at Parkwood Green Shopping Centre in Gillingham.

Others can be found in Rainham Shopping Precinct in Rainham, in Robin Hood Lane in Walderslade, in Sappers Walk in Gillingham, in Grain Road, Lower Stoke in Rochester, at Strand Leisure Park And Pool in Gillingham, in Newark Yard in Strood and at Twydall Shops on Twydall Green, Twydall.

Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks District Council own and maintain one public toilet, which is located in Sevenoaks bus station.

But the authority did not not close the facilities in lockdown and it remains open.

Swale

Swale Borough Council (SBC) didn't close their toilets across Faversham, Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey during the outbreak, except for planned refurbishment at The Spinney in Leysdown and at Faversham Recreation.

But the authority did increase the cleaning schedule at all of them.

A spokesman said: "We still want to remind people to keep social distancing when using them."

SBC's loos can be found at the Recreation Ground and Central Car Park in Faversham, at Central Avenue, King Georges Playing Field,

Milton High Street and The Forum in Sittingbourne and at The Grove and The Spinney in Leysdown.

More council run public toilets can be found at White House, The Broadway in Minster, Rose Street in Sheerness, Queenborough Park in Queensborough and at the Halfway Cemetery, in Western Avenue.

The facilities are open 7am-7pm.

Viking Bay toilets, Broadstairs. Picture: Google
Viking Bay toilets, Broadstairs. Picture: Google

Thanet

Thanet District Council have already opened some of its public toilets, such as the ones at Joss Bay, Margate main sands, Viking Bay and Ramsgate beach, near Wetherspoons.

And from today (Saturday, May 30), all main beach toilets will be open to the public from 10am to 5pm daily, including disabled facilities which will be accessible with a RADAR key.

Facilities will include the ones ones at Minnis Bay, West Bay, Westbrook Bay, St Mildred's Bay, Botany Bay, Stone Bay, Dumpton Gap.

Cllr Steve Albon, cabinet member of operational services said: "As the Bank Holiday weekend showed, people are venturing further afield in light of the easing of government lockdown restrictions.

"We will therefore be opening our main beach toilets from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, May 30.

"We have put in place a number of measures to provide a clean and safe environment for people using them.

"Hand sanitiser is provided and there are posters with information about maintaining social distancing, keeping cubicles clean and hand washing.

"We urge people not to use the facilities as a changing room as sand blocks the toilets.

"We are relying on members of the public to respect the space and to act in a responsible manner - leaving them as they would expect to find them."

The councillor added that if problems arise, such as users not enforcing social distancing or being abusive to staff, the council will be left with no choice but to close the facilities".

Tonbridge and Malling

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council maintain 14 public toilets across the borough.

Twelve of them have remained completely open during the pandemic.

The exception was the two country parks at Haysden and Leybourne Lakes, which were not open while the car parks were closed.

However, these reopened to the public on May 13.

The loos can be found in Vicarage Close in Aylesford, the Village Hall Car park in Borough Green, at The Pound in Snoll Hatch Road East Peckham, in Court Lane in Hadlow, in Larkfield's Martin Square, at Leybourne Country Park and in the Rocfort Road car park in Snodland.

In Tonbridge, loos are in Castle Street, Priory Road, Race Course Sportsground, Haysden Country Park and in the Angel Centre.

In West Malling, the public toilets are in King Street, off High Street and in Wrotham they are in the High Street.

Tunbridge Wells

There are 29 public toilets across Tunbridge Wells, some of which are owned by the council and some which are privately run.

Thirteen are run by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and have remained opened during lockdown.

They are found in High Street in Brenchley, Hawkenbury Recreation Ground, Tunbridge Wells Borough Cemetery, The Green at Matfield, Commercial Road (Car Park East) at Paddock Wood and in The Street in Sissinghurst Road, Sissinghurst.

Loos in Tunbridge Wells are found in Calverley Grounds, Crescent Road Car Park, Dunorlan Park, the Gateway, Grosvenor Recreation Ground, St Johns Recreation Ground and Wellington Rocks at The Common.

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