I AM very concerned that my home town of Tavistock, of which I have been very proud in the past, is getting a bad name for the way in which it treats its visitors.

Recently, on an early Thursday evening, I was witness to a coachload of elderly visitors in Bedford Car Park, wishing to use the public toilets there. It was jut after 6pm and the toilets were locked!

There are only the toilets at the Wharfside swimming pool and at the Wharf cinema which are open, but they are only open to their own customers, and usage of those by a coach full of people is not looked upon favourably! This is due to insurance implications as the swimming pool can be slippery etc.

Surely, our public toilets can be open to the public (for whom they are intended!) until at least 8pm, if only for the holiday season. What would it cost? Failure to address this issue may result in considerably fewer visitors to our beautiful town.

We depend on our visitors, businesses depend on them and we should be doing much more to promote Tavistock rather than pushing visitors away by our negative actions. I overheard one of the coach party saying that this was the last time they would be coming here. Not something we want to hear nor something we want to happen. We have a lot to offer, so let?s not be complacent!

K R Luscombe

1 Edmund Park

Parkwood Road, Tavistock