Visitors planning to arrive in Weston-super-Mare this weekend will need to have strong bladders – as toilets across the seaside resort remain closed.

Concerns have been mounting that the town will see a surge of visitors in the coming days following an easing of the Government lockdown guidelines.

The Government changed guidance earlier this week to allow unlimited exercise.

People are also allowed to travel without restriction in England to visit beauty spots and beaches as long as they return to their main residence at night.

The town’s tourist information centre has already started to receive calls from people in London and Birmingham planning to make a day trip to the beach this weekend.

Tourism group Visit Weston is urging people to stay away, amid fears of large numbers of visitors could result in an increase of coronavirus cases, and return later when it is safe to do so.

Much of the town, which welcomes millions of visitors a year, is closed due to the pandemic.

Cafes, pubs and restaurants – and their washroom facilities unavailable.

Weston Town Council operates five toilet blocks in the town – at Grove Park, Clarence Park, Ashcombe Park, Worle High Street and Uphill – and say they will not re-open them at the current time.

North Somerset Council is responsible for the four remaining toilet blocks on the seafront, and says it will re-open some of its toilets, but only where safe to do so.

Weston Town Council clerk Malcolm Nicholson said: “We are not opening our five sets of toilets for the time being, for two reasons.

“Firstly, Weston Support Services who provide the cleaning services for the toilets are on a skeleton staff and are slowly building themselves back to operating at full capacity.

“Without this we cannot guarantee toilets would be cleaned on the cycle that we would require.

“The same applies to our maintenance contractor's availability should any repairs need to be made.”

North Somerset Council contracts out the running of its four toilet blocks on the seafront to a contractor.

The news that the majority of loos will remain closed has sparked concerns around public health.

Cleaning the toilet is not a chore we look forward to
Cleaning the toilet is not a chore we look forward to

One local businesswoman said: "If the visitors arrive there are no facilities for them.

"If they come and sit on the beach all day, what are they going to do if they need to answer the call of nature,

"People will be forced into the bushes and sand dunes.

"There is a real risk that if this happens, Weston will just become one giant toilet."

In Clevedon, also a popular spot with visitors, the town council has managed to keep its toilets open during the Government lockdown.

The town council operates the Chalet toilets on the seafront and the conveniences at Station Road in the town centre.

People exercise on a sunny day

The other loos at Pier Copse on the seafront are operated by Clevedon Pier and remain closed.

Town clerk Paula Heath said: “We took the decision to keep our public conveniences open during the lockdown.

“We felt it was important that people had the ability to be able to use the conveniences and be able to wash their hands while out exercising.

“Our contractors have put measures in place to ensure they can be used safely.

“Also there are no other WC services due to the cafes, pubs and restaurants being closed.

“While we can, we will continue to keep them open.

“However if they are abused, we will close them.”

In Bristol, toilets operated by the city council also remain closed.

A spokesman for the city council said: "Facilities, such as toilets, in the city’s parks remain closed at the current time but we continue to review all our services as the advice from government changes.

"Bristol’s Community Toilets scheme also remains suspended at the current time."