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Spending a penny is likely to cost 20p at a new public toilet in Lichfield.

Lichfield District Council is aiming to introduce the charge at the Friary car park facility currently under construction.

The controversial Fit for the Future review has identified an entry fee for loos across Lichfield as one way of helping to plug a £1.7million gap in the local authority’s budget.

A meeting of the council’s Cabinet on June 11 will be asked to rubber stamp the proposal for the charge at the newly-constructed toilets.

As well as raising revenue, a report by Lichfield District Council suggests that the 20p fee could have added benefits.

“The introduction of a charge would not be out of step with what is happening across the country as councils attempt to balance budgets and preserve services,” a report due to be discussed by the Cabinet said.

“There is evidence that a side effect of the charge would be to reduce incidences of vandalism.”

But the installation of new pay-as-you-go loos won’t come cheap, with the council expecting to fork out around £7,500 for an entry system.

And the report warns that a local survey in 2012 suggested 55 per cent of people would only be prepared to pay to spend a penny if the toilets were well maintained.

Forecasts by the local authority suggest that the loos at the Friary car park alone could provide up to £12,000 annually in revenue by the second year of operation. But to achieve that figure 60,000 visits to the toilet by city centre visitors would be required each year, equating to 5,000 a month or 164 trips to the loo a day.

The Friary Car Park toilet charging proposal can be downloaded from Lichfield District Council’s website.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

10 Comments
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Mr Lichfield
10 years ago

I guess you could say someone is taking the P***

The figures quoted in revenue should justify not charging, I mean the sums??

£7500 to install minus a possible £12,000 in one year = £4500

repairs and maintenance need to be added to this, then the accidental damage that ma happen and the need for over 5,000 people a month to use the facility, when people will do what they do now and use the many facilities in a bar or restaurant or cafe within Lichfield.

Has Lichfield Council really got a clue any more?

(Moderated to comply with site rules)

Sponge Cake Bob
10 years ago

I just cant believe someone has sat down and done a forecast about people going to the toilet,give me strength! 20p or not 20p That is the question ?

Dee Green
10 years ago

People will go elsewhere where it costs nothing. Sorry, but I certainly wouldn’t use them, no matter how well maintained they are!

Wiggy
10 years ago

It sounds like they are hoping pay-per-poo will make them flush with cash!

Cynic
10 years ago

How much did the report/forcast cost?

Jozef Nakielski
10 years ago

The cost of town centre facilities should be included in the council tax. Toilet charges, car parking charges etc all put people off visiting a town centre. I go to a supermarket and i get free parking and free toilets. I go to town, I pay to park, I go to a cafe, that has no toilets (gawd knows where the staff go) and then have to pay to go to the toilet. If i’ve gone over time I get a ticket. Its no wonder people Prefer the supermarket.

Not so bad for me as I’m a visitor, but to locals it adds insult to injury, cos they’ve already paid a council tax.

Rob
10 years ago

Another reason to avoid the place.

Christopher
10 years ago

Women should pay twice as much as men (20p for women and 10p for men or 40p for women and 20p for men): On the whole, men use less water (a toilet is flushed every time it is used, a urinal isn’t) and men use less toilet paper (anatomical differences). Install waterless urinals and you can further cut the cost to men: 40p women, 10p men.

Suzy
10 years ago

If the toilets were pristine and hygienic I would pay without quibbling. In relative terms it is not a great deal more as a percentage of income than when I was paying the old penny in the 1950s.

Brian Fister
10 years ago

I use about a quids worth of bog roll a go so it’s a bargain for me.