Visitors criticise composting toilets on seafront

Composting toilets have been installed as a temporary measure

Composting toilets on the seafront in Seaford have been criticised amid claims they are being poorly-maintained.

The toilets were installed as an additional facility to the toilet block by the Martello Tower last summer.

Following a spate of vandalism the block remains closed, leaving composting loos as the only public convenience on the seafront.

Seaford Town Council said the facilities were cleaned and restocked three times a day.

'Really busy seafront'

A camper who asked not to be named said: “When people go in there the toilet compost area is right up to the top, so you’ve got flies, you’ve got human waste on show.

“There’s no sawdust. There’s excrement everywhere around the toilet seats, the wooden area around the toilet seat is covered in human waste and the visitors are coming in and literally being sick on the gravel outside.”

Passer-by Kieran Parker told BBC Sussex the toilets were “quite smelly” but added: “It wasn’t too bad compared to public toilets in shopping malls, it’s probably better than that.”

A seafront resident who gave his name as Dave, said: “They would probably justify either slightly more care being taken by the people that are using them or a little bit more regular cleaning.

"But they’re providing four toilets on a really, really busy seafront, with a lot of overnight camper vans that use them as their main facility.

"So they’re doing an absolutely essential job, and fair play to the council for putting them in.”

Instructions on how to use the toilets are posted in the cubicle

In a statement, the council said: “The compostable facilities are cleaned and restocked with consumables via a contracted cleaning company, three times a day, seven days a week.

“Once the refurbished Martello Toilets are reopened next month, the temporary compostable toilets will be removed from The Esplanade.”