Published: April 19, 2008
District council extends deadline for Burnham public toilets sale

The controversial sale of a block of public toilets in Burnham-On-Sea has been delayed after a lack of interest from potential bidders.

Burnham-On-Sea.com revealed in March that Sedgemoor District Council had begun inviting bids from firms interested in buying the Sea View Road building, even though it had said last November that the loos would re-open for the start of the 2008 tourist season.

This week, Tim Mander from the district council's valuation office told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "There has been very little interest in the building, so the deadline has been extended until April 28th while we re-advertise."

The district council's valuation office stated in its advert: "Sedgemoor District Council invites informal offers to be submitted for the former public conveniences."

The news that the toilets were up for sale has annoyed the town council, which had been assured several times that the facilities would not close.

Town Clerk Eileen Shaw told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We're not happy about this. We haven't been formally told in advance that bids were going to be invited. There has been no consultation."

The toilets were temporarily closed in April 2007 amid vandalism and anti-social behaviour and have never re-opened despite pressure from the town council and tourism bosses, who argue that more public loos are needed. As recently as last November, the district council told Burnham-On-Sea.com that the loos in Sea View Road "would re-open for the start of the 2008 tourist season."