A Polperro wide action group is asking local businesses to pledge their help with the running costs of the village’s public toilets.

Polperro Community Council, Polperro Harbour Trust, Polperro Promotional Group, Cornwall Council and individual businesses are working together to find a way of keeping all four of the village’s toilet blocks open.

Ian Elliott, Chairman of the Polperro Promotion Group, said: ’Polperro’s picturesque Cornish harbour attracts huge numbers of tourists, which is great for local businesses.  Of course, large numbers of visitors create a significant demand for loos, and Polperro’s location in a long, narrow valley means that it could be quite a trek between toilets if we couldn’t keep all four blocks open.  Polperro Community Council and a local business have already agreed to fund some of the running costs, and now the action group is asking other businesses to play their part.’

Currently all four sets of toilets cost around £45,000 a year to run.  This covers business rates, cleaning, water rates, electricity, maintenance and renewals.  Polperro Community Council has already agreed to fund a major proportion of the running costs from the parish precept.  It is likely that some of the running costs could also be reduced by employing a local cleaner, installing charging mechanisms and obtaining sponsorship and advertising.  That leaves an estimated £6,000 to be raised from local businesses.

David Pengelly, Chairman of Polperro Community Council, said: ’The toilets are essential for the future social and economic prosperity of the village, and we’d love to see all four stay open.  But there’s a limit to how much we can ask local people to pay via the parish precept.  Volunteers from the action group will be visiting local businesses during April to see whether we can get enough businesses to pledge their support to cover the remaining costs.’