CAMPAIGNERS claim shopkeepers are overwhelmingly against calls for them to throw open their loos to the public after the closure of council-run WCs.

Tendring Council has axed ten public toilets in a bid to save £60,000 a year.

Council bosses want local stores to plug the gap by letting people use their loos instead.

Steven Walker launched the We Want To Wee campaign to try save Walton's Mill Lane from the axe.

He asked traders in Walton High Street if they had public toilet facilities and whether they would be happy to allow anyone to use them.

More than 20 shops and businesses took part in the survey at the weekend.

Mr Walker said they were all against the council's calls for them to provide toilet facilities to replace the Mill Lane WC.

Seven businesses said they were happy to allow customers to use their toilets.

But the rest said they could not provide access to their toilets because of issues such as security, insurance or environmental health rules.

Mr Walker said only one shopkeeper was happy to allow visitors to Walton to use his toilets.

“Given the council policy is to expect shopkeepers to open their toilet facilities to locals and visitors I thought it would be interesting to ask shopkeepers what they thought," he said.

"The survey results speak for themselves and show yet again that Tendring Council have not consulted properly before announcing their policy.

"It is clear that shopkeepers are mindful of exceptional circumstances and the needs of their customers in allowing use of their toilets where it is feasible.

But they are angry with Tendring Council and against the idea of allowing anyone just to walk in and expect to use their toilets."

Many council toilets close over the quieter winter months.

But Mr Walker says that can also cause problems.

He said: "One shopkeeper told me that a man was forced to relieve himself in an alleyway near to Walton Primary School because he found the Kino toilets shut.

"After the man was spotted, the school issued a warning to parents saying a man was exposing himself near to the school. This caused considerable anxiety among parents.

"This is a sign of what to expect once the tourist season starts in the spring and visitors find public toilets shut.”

Thousands of people signed petitions objecting to the loo closures.

Council leisure and tourism boss Mick Skeels told a meeting in November that the decision had been "reluctantly" and called on businesses to "step up to the plate".