A COUNCILLOR is calling for action after council-run toilets at a busy shopping centre were shut for the entire weekend.

The toilets at the Knightswick Centre, in Furtherwick Road, Canvey, were closed from 2.30pm on Friday and were not reopened until yesterday morning due to staff sickness.

Now Janice Payne, councillor for Canvey Island West, has raised concerns the toilets may be closed this weekend when thousands of people flock to the island for the Armed Forces Day parade.

She said: “It’s the council’s responsibility to keep them open and keep them clean.

“They closed at about 2.30pm on Friday. If the council can open the seafront toilets, why can’t it open these as well?

“With the closure at the weekend, I know people will say Knightswick staff should open them, but they shouldn’t have to.

“The toilets are well used and it is the security at Knightswick who had to deal with it. People were having a go at the security staff. One of them had 72 complaints about it.”

The Armed Forces Day Parade is set to make its way through the streets of Canvey on Saturday and Mrs Payne says she is worried the facilities will not be available.

She added: “We will be expecting a large number of visitors and I really do not want to see this happen again. That is my main concern. If we are going to be having lots of visitors to the island, then that is the only toilet there is. It is just ridiculous.”

A spokesman for Castle Point Council said: “Unfortunately, we had a member off staff sick late on Friday and we were not able to arrange cover. We did ask Knightswick if they would open the toilets, but it would appear they were not able to assist.”