THE response to South Lakeland District Council's decision to close down some of its public toilets in an attempt to save money has been as diverse as the communities in which they are situated.

Some have washed their hands of the issue, complaining that the council takes ever more money in taxes, but cannot supply such basic needs as loos.

Some have taken an understandably pragmatic view, based on the perceived importance of the toilets to the local economy.

This has been typified in the Lakes parish, where a two-year reprieve has been successfully completed for the facilities at Stock Lane car park. This was not a difficult one to find support and partners for.

Coach firms use the car park as a must stop on most tours of the Lakes, partly because of its strategic position near the delights of Grasmere, but also because of the opportunity for passengers to take a comfort break.

To have lost that amenity in the tourist season would have had potentially drastic impact on the tourism industry and the local economy.

In those circumstances, everyone from the Lake District National Park Authority to local traders was keen to take up the offer to provide funds to help the parish and district councils keep it open.

Less obviously crucial to the tourist trade are the loos at the Mechanics Institute at Ambleside, and so the same parish council has been more reluctant to provide the extra money needed to keep them open, and there have been less offers of help from other bodies, including the traders who use them.

But one community has taken a wholly different and positive attitude to the challenge presented by the council's cost-saving.

Lindale has no obvious claim to tourism fame, pretty though much of the old village is. But the potential loss of the local loo was just not going to be allowed to happen.

Its survival has become the banner around which all sorts of public-spirited, community action has been based.

Fund-raising antics, do-it-yourself schemes and volunteers have combined to ensure that their loo survives.

The catalyst appears to have been the sports committee, which helped revive Lindale's annual sports day to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and for which the loo was vital.

Since their action the whole community has been galvanised to ensure the survival of its cause celebre. The water closets themselves, the signs and even the floor have been supplied and fitted by local tradesmen. The fragrance of the facilities has been looked after with air-freshener and even the local birds and bats have not been forgotten, with their own cubicles.

Not only has the community saved the loo, but, as so often in these circumstances, the loo has helped the community. Such coming-together and altruistic activity breeds its own feel-good factor for those involved.

Lindale needs to be as proud of itself as it is for its public conveniences.

Obvious target

IT is difficult to comprehend the mentality of anyone who considers it fun to corner a seven-year-old girl in a playground and then fire ball-bearings out of a gun at her, as target practice.

But this is apparently what happened in the tranquillity of Ambleside. Not surprisingly, the girl's family is fuming.

The boys responsible have been dealt with by police with cautions and a good talking to. That was the very least they deserved.

The good news is that new legislation is due to make carrying a gun of this sort in public a prosecutable offence and shooting at someone could be treated as assault.

The sooner these laws are brought in, the better. In the meantime, perhaps traders would take the guns and their ammunition off their shelves immediately.

May 9, 2003 13:30