Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 4:02pm

Businesses sign up to Comfort Break Scheme

by Jim Stark

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TWO businesses in Cowdenbeath are the first to be signed up to the Fife Council's Comfort Break Scheme.

The scheme will see the council working with businesses to open up their toilet facilities for members of the public.

Opening his Galley Café toilet facilities to the passing public for the first time, owner Steven McColl said, "I am very pleased to be involved in the scheme and hope that it will attract more visitors and shoppers to the town and encourage more people to stop for a coffee or snack at the Galley.

"Cowdenbeath has now got plenty to offer with four new businesses opening on the High Street in the last month alone."

At the other end of the High Street, The Old Cross Guns public house has also opened its toilet facilities to the public, with the added benefit of disabled facilities.

Roseanne Lees, the traditional pub's owner commented, "We get lots of requests from passers by who want to use the toilets.

"We are well situated for motorists who come off the A92 and there are now signs in place to show who are participating in the scheme. We are a family-friendly pub and hope it encourages more business in the summer months for bar lunches as well as people dropping in for a drink."

Toilets are graded according to facilities on offer from one to three. A grade one would offer ladies, gentleman, disabled and baby changing facilities. Grade two may not include disabled or baby changing facilities and grade three offers more basic toilet facilities.

All participating businesses will display stickers on their windows or doors to show that they are members of the Comfort Break Scheme.

Councillor Willie Clarke, chair of Cowdenbeath Area Committee welcomed the new developments adding, "This is good news for visitors and shoppers in Cowdenbeath.

"It's important that there are public toilets available throughout the town for the convenience of everyone. I do hope that people treat the facilities with respect. The businesses should be commended for their commitment to the scheme and I look forward to seeing other establishments following their lead.

"However, I would add that would still like to see the retention of the public toilets in Cowdenbeath."

Toilets in all Fife Council buildings, with the exception of schools, will also be made available to the public to use. Toilets in the leisure centre in Cowdenbeath are already available to the public and it is hoped that the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, together with the Arts and Theatre Trust, will be in a position to make the toilets in all of its facilities available to the public as long as they are easily accessible.

Councillor Ross Vettraino, vice-chair of the environment, enterprise and transportation committee, who is pictured at the Galley and the Cross Guns, said, "We know that comfort schemes work quite well from looking at the experiences of neighbouring authorities. 

"Such a scheme will be an excellent complement to the facilities that we as an authority already provide and have within our own buildings.

"There are now three, which may soon become five, separate public convenience facilities either in the High Street or within a stone's throw of it that will be available to the community, at a total cost to the community of £3,500 per annum, compared with the former arrangement whereby there was only one set of facilities at a cost of £45,000 per annum.

"I am confident that there is no one that would disagree with the view that the current arrangement is a far better service at a very much lower lower cost and, consequently, constitutes infinitely better value for money."