Oxford Mail readers have been reacting to a council decision to start charging people for the last free public toilets in Chipping Norton.

Those wishing to use the facilities at New Street Car Park will soon have to pay 20p per visit.

Officers recommend that West Oxfordshire District Council’s cabinet approve charging as soon as possible.

The council first started charging users for public conveniences in 2004/05 but at the time the car park was excluded from the 12 sites.

Read more: Homeowner waits for Thames Water to fix drain

Figures showed the New Street public conveniences were used 17,169 times during 2019/20 and 19,563 times during 2020/21.

There there is a separate toilet for those with a disability which can be accessed free of charge.

Some readers complained they would be inconvenienced by the move, while others pointed out that not many people carry cash these days.

There are public toilets and baby changing facilities at Oxford Town Hall in St Aldate’s but they are listed on the council’s website as being closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The website says the toilets are closed from Monday to Saturday but are available to use on a Sunday when events are staged at the town hall.

West Oxfordshire District Council made just under £1,000 from charges at two public toilets during the pandemic, according to a survey out in May.

Data by Paymentsense, which produces contactless payment technology, indicated that earnings from the two public toilets in The Leys recreation ground in Witney between March 2020 and March 2021 were £878.55. The company looked into how much consumers paid to use the toilets during the pandemic.

MATT JONES: “Then they complain when the doorways smell of urine - very bright.”

MARK HURST: “If you go in the bush you don’t have to pay.”

HAZEL LEE-JONES: “Businesses everywhere turning down cash use and then they expect people to have change in their pocket to spend a penny - it’s madness.”

CALLY HILL: “I never carry cash at the best of times.”

SARAH WILLIAMS: “As someone who suffers with ulcerative colitis this isn’t good!

“If I need to go to the loo there's often little warning -why discriminate against us that need the loos?”

WIKTORIA STANIEK: “Good luck for bus drivers.”

Read again: The next steps for 3,000 new homes on Oxford's Green Belt

PAUL WORTH: “Didn’t know they were still in use as always seemed to be locked up.”

AMEY CLARK-REEDER: “Next they’ll charge for breathing in public.”

BRIAN REIDY: “The drug dealers will be annoyed.”

RICHARD RANSFORD: “People should protest by queuing up at th public offices and use them. “

SAMUEL CONWAY: “If they charged £5 they would make more.”

ALAN KIRBY: “It should be legal for anyone to use the loos in every cafe. It is in France.”

BETTY AGHA: “Will they do contactless? I never carry cash.”

LISA WALLS: “Think about cleaning them first?”

DARYL HARPER: “Watch this now - people will be applying for loo passes next!”

PHIL COWDREY: “Only a couple of weeks ago a old couple were stood at Charlbury loos and the gentlemen needed to use desperately but had no change I over heard this so I gave them the money and walked off to save them the embarrassment or need to thank me.”

DEBBIE WIDDOWS: “You have had to pay for some town hall toilets for a long time now.”

WILLIAM LLOYD: “It’s Oxfordshire so what do you expect!”

LINDSEY FRANCIS: “Another tax on periods for girls that have no money!”

ERVIN TOMKYS VALTERI: “It’s a public necessity not a luxury. People pay enough council tax to walk around enjoy their city without worrying about where they are going to go, including the elderly and pregnant ladies.”

SZERBAK HAJNALKA: “Over time everything costs.”

NICOLA GREGORY: “It’s like being in London, just a bit cheaper.”

NIGEL COLLINGTON: “Are they having a laugh?”

VALERIE CYPHER: “Gone are the days of just going to spend a penny.”

WAYNE BENTLEY: “Typical, another reason to stay away.”