A REGULAR visitor to Tavistock for the last 30 years is threatening never to return unless the state of public toilets is improved.

Mr R Lomas, from Cliftonville in Kent, wrote to West Devon Borough Council complaining about the condition of the toilets at Somerfield, which belong to the council.

'I have never seen such a disgusting place in all my life,' said Mr Lomas.

'There were no names on the doors as to ladies or gents, the hand driers were not working and there was no hot water or soap.'

Mr Lomas added that unless he received a categoric assurance that these matters would be looked into, he and his wife would not come to Tavistock again after 30 years of regular visits.

Colin Durrant, deputy manager of Somerfield, said they received complaints about the state of the toilets every week.

'We have spoken to the council, whose responsibility they are, three or four times recently and are about to do so again,' he said. 'They do come and clean after we call, but that is all.

'The toilets are the bain of the store and reflect badly on it,' Mr Durrant added.

David Incoll, borough chief executive, said the situation was very unfortunate, as the toilets had only recently been refurbished.

'There is an ongoing problem, as they are subject to continuous vandalism,' he said.

'There are symbols on the doors, but we are continually having to replace them. A contract cleaner is employed, who checks the hand driers on a daily basis, and at the time Mr Lomas visited the toilets we do not have any indication that they weren't working.

'There is no hot water, only cold, but that is a matter of cost. We have ceased supplying soap due to vandalism, and in any case we have been advised not to supply bars of soap as they are a health risk.

'Unfortunately the soap dispensers had been removed at the time of the visit,' Mr Incoll said.

He added that he would be contacting the police to get more checks on the area, but said that it was difficult to catch the vandals.

'We are grateful for all complaints drawing our attention to problems and will double our efforts in future,' Mr Incoll affirmed.