TO LET: Toilet. Accommodation comprises reception room with en suite (men and women). Great location, with poss. sea views. Good business opportunity. Needs some work.

That's how one Weymouth and Portland councillor would like to tempt local entrepreneurs into saving Weymouth's toilets from closure.

He raised the idea of franchising loos after 10 were closed throughout the borough in a cost-cutting measure.

Now, following a meeting of the council's environment and conservation committee, in which councillors agreed to set up a 'task and finish' group to explore the idea further, Coun Tim Munro wants people to come forward with bright ideas to re-open the toilets.

Coun Munro wants to find business people with the imagination to make the borough's conveniences into something more than just a place to spend a penny.

"There are many possibilities for turning them into something better. It might be that someone wants to put a barbershop into the toilets on the seafront, or re-open the showers. On other sites we could have people, say, running cafes next door to the toilets.

"The person who gets the franchise to open their business could perhaps get the premises rent-free from the council, in exchange for having to keep the toilets open, clean and free of vandalism.

"Perhaps it's just a case of installing a turnstile and charging the public to use clean and pleasant toilets. On the continent there are people who make their living from doing just this," he said.

Some fellow councillors questioned whether anyone would take over the running of toilets.

But Coun Munro stressed that all avenues should be explored. He said: Look at the the couple who ran toilets on the Esplanade. They used customers' tips to pay for flowers and to play music until the council stepped in and told them they weren't allowed to take money from members of the public.

"I don't see what the problem was. There were letters in the Echo about how good these toilets were."

Coun Munro believes that encouraging businesses to take on responsibility for toilets is part of a sea change in the way the borough manages its public services.

He added: "Every year we discuss the same issue about whether or not we can afford to keep the toilets open.

"Somewhere along the line we have to stop cutting and find new ways to expand and develop the resort.

"With a bit of imagination we could give visitors something to think about. They might even go home talking about their interesting toilet experience," he suggested.

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