SIR — I'd like to add my piece to Jenny Campbell and Peter Phillip's letters regarding the council's decision to close Blenheim Gardens WCs (August 31).

Firstly, I'll state publicly that while on Minehead Town Council I was adamant that all toilet facilities should not only remain but set an example to the town.

A town and more to the point, its leaders, will be judged by the facility provided to its visitors.

Rather than carping on, I have a solution.

My shop, the Beach Hut, bounds one side of the Carousel toilets on the sea front, which were, and may still be, under review.

Early last March while working on the outside I was able to monitor the amount of use the toilets were getting from visitors. I counted an average of two persons per minute. If that is March's rate, July-August must be five times as much.

How much do we think the council is paying Veolia for its annual maintenance contract?

Let's say for argument's sake that the district council is paying £100 a day for the annual maintenance contract for the Carousel toilets. For that they undertake a basic cleaning service and replace tissue.

What if the toilets were totally refurbished from a loan and re-opened as a pristine multi-cubicle facility with motion switched hot water, state of the art hand-dryers, extractor fans, scent and piped music?

If a rate of 20p was charged, in March the income would be in the region of £150 per day and mid summer £750.

What do you think the chances are that the council would allow me to privatise the WCs, take over the facility, invest my own money and bring pleasure to the visitors?

Once the loan was paid I'd halve the charge and still make a fortune . . .

John Clyde-Smith,

Warren Road,

Minehead.