CHINGFORD: Toilet campaigners in sit-in protest threat

10:34am Friday 3rd September 2010

By Daniel Binns

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save the borough's last public toilet have threatened to stage a sit-in protest if the council presses ahead with its plan

Many residents have been outraged over the authority's decision to close the award-winning public conveniences in Albert Crescent, Chingford Mount, saying the facility is vital for shoppers, especially pensioners.

The council says it has been forced to close the toilet, which costs £90,000 a year to run, following a cut in central Government funding. But critics say the authority should save money elsewhere.

Protesters are hopeful they can force a last-minute u-turn when they confront councillors at a scrutiny meeting and cabinet meeting - where the decision is due to be formally rubber-stamped - later this month.

But they have said they would even consider direct action and have vowed to fight to the ‘bitter end’.

The council wants the public to use facilities in pubs, cafes and other private businesses instead, but campaigners have said many sections of society would feel uncomfortable doing so.

Yesterday a campaigning trio of Chingford mums - Doreen Woods, Patricia Brannagan, and Josephine O'Brien – handed in their petition containing 2,700 signatures of people against the shut-down to the Town Hall.

Mrs Woods, of Warwick Road, said: “We've had an awful lot of support for our petition.

“We've had pensioners taking it around their nursing homes and clubs, we've had bus drivers taking copies of it for their depots – 99 per cent of everyone we asked has signed it.

“We really hope we can get through to the council. Public opinion must count for something to them – or so it should.”

Josephine O'Brien, of Hampton Road, said: “The buses terminate there and all the drivers use the toilets. The council want people to use toilets in public houses instead but bus drivers are not allowed to go inside pubs with their uniforms on. They will have nowhere else to go.”

Mrs Brannagan, of Mayhew Close, said: “The toilets have only been there ten years and cost thousands of pounds to build. The council should stop wasting money on refurbishing the town hall and instead focus on what's really important to the people of Chingford.”

Mrs Woods added: “We're going to fight this to the end, we'll lie down in front of the bulldozers and we could even have a sit-in to stop this happening.”

Campaigners are urging their supporters to come to the authority's scrutiny committee meeting on Monday September 13 and the cabinet meeting on Tuesday September 14 (which is not on Wednesday as erroneously reported by council freesheet Waltham Forest News), both of which start at 7.30pm at the town hall.