A protest is set to be staged against the closure of a public toilet, after a residents’ association launched a campaign to save it.

Residents and residents’ association’s members will be protesting on Saturday, June 19, against the closure of the only public toilet in Stoneleigh by Epsom and Ewell Council.

In March, the Epsom Guardian reported how Epsom and Ewell Residents’ Association councillors were caught by surprise when Stoneleigh and Auriol Residents’ Association (Sara) voted to start a campaign against the closure.

The campaign, complete with a logo, called on residents to help "persuade RA councillors to think again and reverse their unwelcome decision to close the public convenience in Stoneleigh Broadway".

Bill Slaughter, chairman of Sara, said: "The decision to close the toilets was an arbitrary one, taken in secret and without any consultation with Stoneleigh residents or discussion with the local Residents’ Association.

"The reason for the secrecy is clear – RA councillors knew that if they had discussed proposal to close the toilets with SARA the it would have been met with strong opposition as it has been, albeit after their secret decision to close the toilets was discovered by pure chance.

"Sara has demonstrated beyond doubt that there is a very valid case for retaining the borough council-operated public convenience in Stoneleigh Broadway, which is the second largest shopping precinct in Epsom and Ewell.

"The RA councillors who control Epsom and Ewell Borough Council are still refusing to listen to and act in accordance with the wishes of local residents."

According to Mr Slaughter, the money-saving with the service cut amounts to "just £7,000 a year – a paltry sum when compared with the comfort and hygiene benefits provided to local residents, shoppers and visitors in Stoneleigh".

Councillor Robert Leach, chairman of the Residents’ Association Group, said: "As part of the need to reduce costs, RA councillors decided to discontinue maintaining three public toilets. Responsibility for the Stoneleigh toilet now passes to the railway authorities who own the site.

"The Residents Association is not a single political party but a loose group of independent bodies that do not always reach the same conclusion.

"I have recently had very amicable and constructive talks with the chairman of SARA on this matter. I would still like to see an amicable solution acceptable to SARA and RA councillors."

For more information go to www.stoneleighandauriol.co.uk.