A former mayor and Buckinghamshire councillor has described the closure of public toilets in High Wycombe as ‘disgraceful’ – six months after they were shut ‘for the foreseeable future’.

Peter Cartwright, who has served as a town mayor and district councillor and sat on the unitary authority for 37 years, has criticised the ongoing closure of the toilets on Paul’s Row – and said it disproportionately affects disabled people who need access to a lavatory at all hours.

John Chilver, Bucks Council’s cabinet member for accessible housing and resources, said in February that the toilets’ closure was due to “significant vandalism” driving up maintenance costs – but Peter thinks the impact on vulnerable residents hasn’t been taken into account.

The 81-year-old, who is part of the yet-unfruitful campaign to get Wycombe a town council, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when he was 22 and says others with incontinence or medical issues are being driven out of the area by the lack of accessible facilities.

“We’ve been told that we can go into shops or other premises and use their toilets, but that’s only well and good when those places are open.

“We need something open around the clock. I was speaking to someone who has a stoma the other day and he needs to empty it six times a day.

“Besides everything else, he’s embarrassed to be going in and out of shops or restaurants and asking to use their toilets.”

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The Paul’s Row toilets were also better suited to wheelchair users, who have been left with little option in the ambiguous number of months since the closure, Peter said.

“It means there are no council-provided toilets in the town centre – just the one on the Coachway near Handy Cross, which closes at 9pm.

“The people who need this access have a hard time anyway – Crohn’s is an incurable thing, and you just have to learn to live with it. The least we can ask for is the reassurance of having a toilet nearby.

“I’ve spoken to lots of people about this and they all feel the same – it’s disgraceful.”

Mr Chilver said: "Unfortunately, we have had to close these public toilets for the foreseeable future due to significant vandalism.

“This decision was not taken lightly but is necessary due to the high costs incurred in maintaining and keeping these toilets open. We apologise to members of the public for any disruption caused by this closure.”