Brighton Seafront Toilet Charge Scrapped Days After Budget Vote

Plans to introduce a 50p charge for some public toilets on Brighton and Hove seafront have been dropped just days after the measure was approved as part of the council’s latest budget.

Brighton and Hove City Council had voted to introduce the fee for the 2026–27 financial year, with the aim of generating around £70,000 in income.

The charge was due to apply to five seafront facilities: Dalton's Bastion, The Colonnade, Shelter Hall, West Pier Arches in Brighton and King's Esplanade in Hove.

However, the proposal has now been abandoned.

Councillor Tim Rowkins, the cabinet member responsible for environmental services and net zero, said the council had decided not to move forward with the fee.

He said the authority had considered whether it might be possible to charge visitors while allowing residents to continue using the toilets for free, but concluded that the system would be too complicated and expensive to run.

The plan had already faced criticism during scrutiny of the council’s budget and prompted opposition from several councillors and community groups.

Alistair McNair, leader of the Conservative group on the council, questioned why the proposal had been included in the budget in the first place and raised concerns about how the projected income would now be replaced.

Other critics warned that introducing a charge could disproportionately affect people with medical conditions requiring regular access to toilets, as well as older residents and other vulnerable groups.

The proposal had also been raised by youth representatives and campaigners ahead of the budget meeting, who argued the fee could create additional barriers for some people using the seafront.

The budget – which must legally be approved by the full council – was passed last week, but the authority has since confirmed the toilet charge will not be implemented.