A NEWCASTLE Emlyn shop owner has collected a 1,000-name petition in her fight to get a toilet block reopened because she says the closure is affecting her business.

Elisa Farmer, one of the owners of The Emlyn Antique Centre, claims visitors are staying away from the town because of the lack of public conveniences.

“It’s terrible,” she said. ”We know for a fact that a tourist bus company for the elderly didn’t come to town last year as we heard the reps saying there were no adequate toilet facilities here.”

Elisa added: “People are continuously calling in here to ask for the nearest toilet. We’ve been verbally abused as though it’s our fault there are no toilets, and people demand to use ours. Because of health and safety, we’ve had to decline as we have steps going into the toilets, but on some occasions we’ve allowed a few to use them and quite frankly what’s left behind hasn’t been pleasant.”

The public toilets were repaired and redecorated over a year ago.

Mayor of Newcastle Emlyn, Cllr Odette Little said: “It’s not a good situation and they should be open. But with cutbacks, it’s the same in many counties. The cost to the town council of reopening them would be horrendous and there’s no way we could do it."

See this week’s Cardigan & Newcastle Emlyn edition for the full story, in shops and online now