comfort break isnice wee earner

by Christina Golding

SCOTTISH restaurants and hotels are being offered up to £4,000 a year to allow the public to use their loos.

Older public toilets are too expensive to renovate and maintain, according to the Highland Council, which has joined with the Scottish Tourist Board to promote its Highland Comfort scheme.

Up to 50 businesses are needed to provide the public with facilities and in return can receive between £1,000 and £4,000 a year for their efforts.

Payment would cover "consumables" such as soap and toilet paper, any modernisation needed and extra cleaning expenses. But owners would have to meet all existing charges such as rates, water and drainage charges, repairs, maintenance and insurance.

"We want to encourage properties that can display a sign and ideally have a toilet at the front door of the premises," said Henderson Pollock, head of waste strategy at the Highland Council.

Some hoteliers, however, said that the proposed public toilet sign could attract trouble.

"You would never know who you had wandering around," said Freda Perry, joint manager of the Ulbster Arms in Halkirk.