EVERYTHING in the garden is lovely for 48 Alcombe allotment-holders – except when they need to spend a penny.

With the nearest public toilets over a mile away, gardeners on Minehead Town Council’s Marshfield Road allotments, who often spend much of the day on their plots, can find it necessary to hurry home – some on their mobility scooters.

Now councillors have come up with a plan to end this inconvenience – with a pilot scheme to install a portable toilet on the allotment site next spring.

If successful, the council could look for funding to build a permanent toilet – and perhaps even facilities to make a cup of tea!

At its meeting on Tuesday, the council’s amenities and environment committee unanimously agreed to put the suggestion forward to the next meeting of the full council.

“Many gardeners, particularly those getting on in years, have told us that some sort of toilet facilities would be very welcome,” said Cllr Beresford Mandley, lead of the allotments advisory group.

“We will try out the scheme for a trial period of eight months, from next March to October.

“If it goes well, it could be time to look for something more permanent, both on this site and the other four council allotments. Hinkley Point 106 funding may be available.”

Cllr Mandley said that to hire a toilet and have it cleaned and maintained would cost £840 a year, which worked out at 37p a week for the 48 gardeners on the site.

“The tenants we have spoken to say they would be happy to pay that sort of sum, which means the council won’t have to find any money,” Cllr Mandley said.

“You could say the tenants will be gardening at their own convenience.”