SIR — Here we go again. Apparently the latest brainwave of the council is to solve the problem of the less than savoury toilets in Blenheim Gardens by closing them.

We have a new town manager; let us hope he is able stop silly people having daft ideas. We are the only town I know that wants to have less toilets.

Blenheim Gardens was given to the people of Minehead, not the council. The gardens are always popular throughout the year. It costs next to nothing to run the loos and bring them up to a high standard and run them with an attendant.

Blenheim Gardens gives our town prestige. Here we are able to host regular entertainment and together with the sea and the railway it makes our town a top holiday resort. How can it be right to take away the public conveniences?

If other towns can find people who are happy to volunteer their services to help improve their community, why can't Minehead? A small grant would help to renovate or even rebuild - has the council even looked at possible resources?

Charging for the use of the lavatory is fairly commonplace and most people would be happy to pay if it means that they don't have to leave the gardens to traipse across the road to use the less than savoury toilets in the Co-Op car park.

People judge a town - as they do a restaurant - by its lavatories. If we want to encourage people to return to our town then we should continue to accommodate their most basic of needs. Let's hope this new manager hits the road running

Peter Phillips,

Mount Royal,

Minehead.