‘It’s an absolute disgrace’ – town centre troubles blamed on toilet closures

Community safety and resilience board chairman Allison Duncan has been compared to the Terminator for his stance on town centre trouble makers. Picture: Smirk. 

A senior councillor whose crackdown on town centre troublemakers saw him compared to the “Terminator” has turned his attention to public toilets.

Community safety and resilience board chairman Allison Duncan said the early closure of toilets was an “absolute disgrace”.

Mr Duncan has repeatedly highlighted concerns with anti-social behaviour in Harrison Square and the Lerwick lanes.

And during the board’s latest meeting today (Wednesday), Mr Duncan said that while improvements had been made there was still “much more work to do”.

The Shetland South councillor raised issues with underage “gangs” drinking in the lanes, graffiti and stones being thrown at windows.

He said residents were “frightened and concerned”.

The main cause of these troubles, Mr Duncan said, was the early closure of the public toilets at 9pm.

“That surely is not acceptable in a town the size of Lerwick with approximately 7,000 people,” he said.

“It’s a disgrace.”

Mr Duncan said he had raised the issue with the council’s chief executive Maggie Sandison – but the outcome was “total disagreement”.

“She is hell bent on not opening up the public toilets,” he said.

“That is completely unjust and unfair on our youth.”

Mr Duncan said young people were not allowed to drink in pubs and so questioned where they were supposed to go “when nature calls”.

He said council workers were having to wash down the lanes on Saturday and Sunday mornings because of all the “filth”.

“It’s a health and safety issue,” he added.

Mr Duncan said it was an “absolute disgrace” and if nothing happened he would take it up with his fellow councillors to bring about a council motion.

He called on chief inspector Stuart Clemenson to support him in his calls for later opening hours.

Mr Clemenson confirmed police were still receiving reports of people urinating and “on the odd occasion defecating” in some of the lanes.

The Shetland area commander said he had raised the issue with Mrs Sandison and had been led to believe the council’s concerns were around the safety of lone worker toilet attendants.

“But I agree that we need to do something else,” he said.

“We need to look at other options in the town centre to open the toilets.”

Mr Clemenson suggested a trial of opening the toilets without staffing,

Shetland Central member Catherine Hughson asked whether toilets would be opening later during the Tall Ships events.

Mr Clemenson said that while there had been no discussions around later opening, the event organiser was bringing portable toilets for people attending the concerts.

Shetland West member Liz Peterson said it seemed “nonsensical” to have event organisers bringing portable toilets when there were completely suitable public facilities being locked up.

While she understood the concerns for staff safety she questioned whether two staff could be employed to oversee the toilets.

Given the staff resource involved in cleaning the streets in the evenings and mornings, she said it would be worth seeing how the finances added up.

Mr Duncan said he would be monitoring the situation “very carefully” until the matter was resolved.