The now closed toilets in B290 Epsom Downs

The Cost of Spending a Penny

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Following the demise of the public toilets on the B290 up on Epsom Downs, The Epsom and Ewell Times reports on the current Council provision of conveniences for the public:

  • Nonsuch Park – open during park opening hours which are usually 6am to ½ hour before sunset.
  • Horton Country Park – open during park opening hours as above
  • Alexandria Recreational Ground Pavilion – operated by the café during café opening hours
  • Auriol Recreation Ground, Stoneleigh – operated by the café during café opening hours
  • Epsom Cemetery – open during cemetery opening hours
  • Bourne Hall, Ewell – open during centre hours
  • Epsom Town Hall – open during operating hours
  • Harrier Centre, Poole Road, West Ewell – open during operating hours
Map of toilets in Epsom and Ewell

In answer to The Epsom and Ewell Times, The Epsom and Ewell Borough Council provided the following information on the costs of spending a penny of those public toilets that are NOT part of a building used for other purposes (e.g., The Town Hall and Bourne Hall etc). To be clear – they are free to use! It won’t cost you a penny except through your Council tax.

Annual Expenditure 2021 to 2022 up to end of March 2022.
Nonsuch public toilets – Cleaning: £14,716.56
We cannot break down the costs for Mechanical &Electrical (M&E) as it comes within the expenditure for
the whole of the Mansion House.
Cemetery – Cleaning £6161.04 and M&E £993.68
Horton Country Park – Cleaning £5555.40 and M&E £741.36
The utility costs are also not broken down for just the toilets and therefore we cannot provide separate
costs.

Contrary to myth a person not patronising a pub does not have a right to use its toilet. London promotes a “Community Toilet Scheme” that encourages businesses to allow non-customers to use their toilets. London’s Railways stations take part. In the Borough of Epsom and Ewell the Ashley Centre would be hard pressed to prevent a member of the public having no intention to spend a penny in its shops from spending a penny in its toilets.

Should Epsom and Ewell have a Community Toilet Scheme? Write to us.

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