The toilets in the Dome will be available for the public to use within weeks, councillors were told today (Tuesday 19 September).
The news emerged at a Brighton and Hove City Council meeting in response to a petition by Tony Graham calling for the reopening of the Pavilion Gardens public toilets in Prince’s Place.
Mr Graham presented his petition to a meeting of the full council in July but, with 112 signatures, it did not have enough support for a debate.
Instead, it was referred to the council’s City Environment, South Downs and the Sea Committee which met at Hove Town Hall this afternoon.
The petition said that closing the toilets amounted to discrimination against older people and those with some medical conditions and discouraged people from using the Pavilion Gardens café.
Labour councillor Tim Rowkins, who chairs the committee, said that the Dome toilets would be available to the public from Monday 2 October.
Councillor Rowkins said: “We view these facilities as a priority for our residents and visitors. I completely share your frustration about the delay with regard to getting the toilets at Pavilion Gardens open.
“This is not due to a lack of will on our part. We need to be able to open the toilets in a way that is safe for both the public and our staff.
“Concerns about anti-social behaviour, based on previous incidents including assaults as well as weapons and needles being found, mean that we can’t risk opening them without a consistent security presence which is, of course, very expensive.”
He added that the council was in “a very serious financial position” and had held unsuccessful talks with the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust about reopening the toilets.
In March, the council agreed a 22-year lease with the trust with proposals to rebuild the toilet block, “reorientated” to make the entrance more visible to try to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime.
The new toilets would also include a “Changing Places” accessible toilet.
Councillor Rowkins said: “Since this committee last met, we have continued to reopen and refurbish public toilets around the city, including eight more in our parks, taking the total number of available toilets to 33.
“There are still sites that remain closed, most notably at The Level and Royal Pavilion Gardens, and we are actively working on plans to restore toilet provision at those vital locations as soon as possible.”
This is just evading the issue. CCTV is the answer. As an elderly person myself, who comes into central Brighton by bus, I would agree that the Pavilion loos are essential. If people have nothing to hide, they’ll be reassured by CCTV.
It’s disgusting how they closed the toilets
Iv been in Brighton 24 years it’s really not nice wanting the toilet when out shopping especially since they locked them. I’m disabled and we don’t have any decent disabled toilets with in the centre.the streets allready smell like a public toilet and we got Southern water pumping raw sewage into the sea here
THE CRACKHEADS WHO GO IN THERE TO INJECT HAVE CAUSED THIS SITUATION AND HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO GO IN THERE TO WASH , ETC WHO SHOULD BE USING FIRST BASE VHARGING PEOPLE TO USE THR FACILITIES WOULD BE A START TO KEEP ALL THESE UNDESIRABLES OUT THE INACTIVITY OF THE POLICE OF COURSE OVER THE YEARS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THEM BEING USED FOR SCORING DRUGS BY THE GREAT UNWADHED OF BRIGHTON
jfc man…
And breathe…..
First base is open Monday to Friday, and has 4 showers which are normally being used or out of order, so maybe you get to wash there once week if you are lucky, the pavilion toilets need to be reopened and unfortunately security will have to be put in place. But not only to stop the drugs but also to put a stop to the gay men who carry out their sick activities in there. These facilities should be safe, with out the fear of stepping on a needle or see some sicko playing with themselves in front of you as soon as you walk in there. Not good.
Homophobic nonsense. In 51 years I’ve never seen any men performing sex acts in public in the toilets. Maybe you spend more time in them than I do though.
I didn’t see the petition which is a shame. I would have shared it far and wide! Bring back our public toilets.
Pure incompetence, these ‘services’ were sold off for short term profit to private companies and as per have customers the have inevitably cost the taxpayer both financially and physically, Councillor’s have no responsibility as it’s our money they throw away, useless, corrupt morons.
Disregard *have customers the* won’t let me edit!!
London Victoria Station charge to use the loo. This isn’t a new thing. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have to pay a small amount for the “privilege”. Not sure if this should be carte blanche, perhaps just those with high footfall.
Don’t think this is still the case in London Victoria, now free?
I think it has been free for several years, unless they have changed their policy recently. At least they have proper security there, unlike Brighton and Hove, where the Greens decided to treat the public, including the elderly and the disabled, with utter contempt, and closed them, blaming anti-social behaviour, which they themselves did nothing to discourage.
Yes, I haven’t been to London for a few years. Not a great suggestion of mine, because I’m not sure how the council would collect the money anyway. I seem to recall the parking meter cash collections, which the council didn’t receive the cash for.
It is not difficult you don’t have to pick up the needles or weapons. Just use the toilet wtf is wrong with this council. People are not that stupid. Has anyone actually been injured by any of the above in the toilet at any point? No lol
You do not need security just get a toilet attendant like every other toilet throughout London. It’s not hard and your giving someone a job. Brighton Council on the lowest most pathetic councils. To ever exist.
Have people had needle stick injuries in Brighton? Yes. Yes they have, George. Let me tell you an interesting fact. SECAmb, our ambulance service in Brighton, is one of the only stations to stock double naloxone supplies on their vehicles.
The Dome toilet is hardly a convenient public convenience for anyone at the Pavilion Gardens cafe. It is time the council got on with the job of improving and re-opening the toilets there, as a priority.
Cllr Rowkins is very right to be cautious, especially considering we have several toilets close almost immediately after reopening due to vandalism. I won’t be surprised if this happens here too.
Homophobic nonsense. In 51 years I’ve never seen any men performing sex acts in public in the toilets. Maybe you spend more time in them than I do though.