Kinross councillors believe they may have the solution to a toilet wrangle that has infuriated visitors and dismayed businesses at the area’s top tourist attraction.
More than a quarter of a million people a year descend upon Loch Leven and its walking trails but facilities have not kept speed with that influx.
Now it is hoped that a partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage could be the answer to everyone’s problems.
Perth and Kinross Council has been working to find a way of providing toilets for some time but, lacking any of its own, has tried without success to persuade businesses to sign up to a comfort scheme.
The latest, the Boathouse restaurant – recently voted the town’s best – declined to take part, revealing that it would be left significantly out of pocket if it did so.
It already sees hundreds of non-customers each day requesting use of facilities and has begun to turn them away as it cannot cope with demand.
At the latest meeting of Kinross Community Council the business’ proprietor, Julie McGrattan, claimed that members of staff had suffered verbal, physical and online abuse after refusing use of the toilets to non-customers.
She told the community council that as the loch is the biggest tourist attraction in the area and the pier car park is very heavily used, visitors expect public facilities that are glaringly absent at present.
She urged the community council and council to look into the matter.
Now SNP Councillor Joe Giacopazzi and his Kinross-shire colleague believe they may have the answer despite the council’s lack of available funds.
He said: “SNH are currently working on new offices and an extension to their visitor centre offering at Loch Level and I and my fellow councillors have written to them to see whether they can incorporate additional toilets into that facility.
“This is being sought by the council and is in the very early stages but we hope we will receive a positive response.
“The Boathouse was asked to join the comfort scheme but they don’t feel that would be appropriate and I have to agree.
“This is a private business and it is not suitable to have large numbers of people in often wet clothing trekking through the restaurant to access toilets.”
Mr Giacopazzi said councils “do not have money for much these day” and so support from community partners such as SNH would be vital.
He added: “More than a quarter of a million people now use the trails around Loch Leven.
“I am myself a member of TRACKS (The Rural Access Committee of Kinross-shire) and I have been delighted to see this develop.
“I would go as far as to say that it is one of the best things I have ever been involved in.
“There is, however, clearly a need for improved facilities.
“It is very early but me fellow councillors and I hope this may be the answer.”
Comfort schemes have enabled the local authority to make significant savings by cutting its own facilities and provide publically accessible toilets in small communities where no facilities exist.
Nonetheless, they have proved somewhat controversial and there remain areas where provision is spotty – such as parts of Kinross-shire.
