CONSIDERABLE amounts of money have been spent modernising public toilets in Ambleside, Grasmere and Langdale and maintaining them to a high standard, but acts of criminal damage and wanton vandalism are costing hundreds in repairs and loss of income.

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Running costs last year totalled £68,000 and although the 20p charged in five of the seven toilets brings in about £45,000 a year, the balance has to be subsidised by income from the council’s White Platts recreation area, with a further £13,000 from ratepayers.

Writing in the recent Lakes Parish Council newsletter, clerk Michael Johnson said that damage was being caused because people objected to paying what might be seen as a “trifling amount” for the privilege of having a public toilet open, clean and operational.

“A lot of people don’t understand that the district council withdrew from the provision of public conveniences, so without Lakes PC taking them on, most would have closed,” he said.

Damage includes paddle-gates being kicked off, sinks deliberately blocked to cause overflow, objects wedged in doors to enable free access and two pay-as-you-enter machines smashed open.

The cleaning team even found someone had defecated on the floor of the ladies, and a deadlock has been put on the gents toilet at Grasmere to prevent one man from sleeping in it overnight.

Mr Johnson said the cleaning teams “deserve a commendation” for some of the issues they had to deal with.