A petition launched by Bromley’s Liberal Democrats is calling on the supermarket to reverse its decision, arguing that elderly residents and parents with young children rely on the facilities at the superstore in Walters Yard.
The Liberal Democrats are “disgusted” by the decision and campaigners believe the closures are unfair and cause unnecessary inconvenience for customers who expect access to basic amenities while shopping.
The toilets at the Bromley High Street branch have reportedly been shut for several months, with only the accessible toilet still in use.
Customers must request a key at the front tills in order to use the disabled toilet, which some say is an additional barrier for those who need urgent access.
Sainsbury’s said that the closures were due to ongoing issues with misuse but insists that the accessible toilet remains available for those who need it.
However, local campaigners argue that this solution is not practical for all shoppers and that fully reopening the facilities should be a priority.
Bromley’s Liberal Democrats petition reads: “We are disgusted by reports that many Sainsbury’s stores across the country plan to close some of their public toilets due to vandalism and the cost of keeping the facilities open, including the Bromley Store.
“We are particularly concerned on behalf of elderly residents and those with young children, who often rely on these toilets.
“In the Bromley branch, both the male and female toilets have been closed for several months.
“Only the disabled toilet is available to use, with the key being available on request from the till at the front of the store.
“We call on Sainsbury’s to reopen the toilets in the Bromley store and reconsider their decision to close toilets in other stores.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “Due to ongoing challenges with misuse, we made the difficult decision to close some of the toilets at our Bromley store last year and are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
“Our accessible toilet remains available for customers who may need it, with our colleagues on hand to give access.”
