Public Toilets at Isle of Wight Beaches - Where To Go When You Really Need To Go

20/5/2024

What a relief

I read a request recently for advice on public toilets on the Isle of Wight. The question-asker had incontinence issues and wanted to know whether the Isle of Wight's public toilets were generally open or if they would be caught short.

I imagine this is a fairly common issue that stops a lot of people daring to have a day out (e.g. people with Crohn's disease or colitis). It's also an issue for parents with children who decide they are suddenly 'desperate' despite not needing the toilet when you left the house ten minutes ago.

The reality is that no Isle of Wight public toilet will always be open. Even a brand new million pound bog with golden toilet seats could be shut if some oik decides to block the toilets and flood the place.

However, you can relax a little if you find an Isle of Wight beach with public toilets, plus a café or pub nearby as a plan B. Of course, you'd need to buy something but it's a useful backup in case of a toilet emergency.

Here's our bog standard beach-by-beach guide to finding a toilet when you really need it on the Isle of Wight. There's also a short section about disabled toilets at the end of the guide.

Toilets at Alum Bay and The Needles

There's a toilet within the Needles Landmark Attraction (the bit with the teacups and chairlift). It's always been open when I've been there. There is also a café onsite so that would be your plan B. However there isn't a toilet on the beach, and it's a long way back up to the toilet (i.e. about 100 steps or a chairlift ride).

The other attraction at The Needles is the Old Battery. You have to walk half a mile along the headland to get to this (or get a bus), so I would avoid this if you need to be within a short distance of a toilet at all times.

The beach at Alum Bay is a long way from the nearest toilet - so stick with the view from the top of the cliffs

Toilets at Bembridge

The main beach at Bembridge is the one with the lifeboat station. When we last visited there was a decent toilet and it was open. It was separate cubicles but wasn't one you paid for. However, there isn't a big café or pub at the beach so you'd be searching a bit further if those toilets were out of action. Your best bet would be the Warner Leisure Bembridge Coast Hotel's Coffee Nest bar, which is open to non-residents if you buy a coffee or a slice of lemon drizzle cake. It's about a quarter of a mile from the beach car park.

Bembridge Beach has toilets, but plan B is some distance away

Toilets at Colwell Bay

There are shiny new public toilets near the beach at Colwell, which replaced some rather vintage ones. I can still smell the old ones if I close my eyes.

The bad news is that you pay for the new ones, but it was only 20p when I last visited and you could pay cash or card.

There is also a café at the beach as well, so you could buy something there and use theirs as an emergency backup plan.

Colwell Bay has a couple of options for an emergency toilet visit including these new pay-as-you-pee toilets

Toilets at Compton Bay

For years the toilets at Compton bay have been grim metal things with a puddle on the floor. You couldn't rely on them being open and there is nothing else nearby for miles (Freshwater Bay's toilets are five minutes away by car). I've had a few wild wees there as a result. However, as I write this the National Trust is putting some new toilets in. I will report back once I've had my first flush.

This ancient toilet block is being replaced, at the time of typing

Beggars can't be choosers

Toilets in Cowes

There are a few toilets scattered round Cowes as it's a fairly large place. Options include public toilets near the esplanade, about a third of the way to Gurnard from Cowes. There are also two toilet blocks within the town centre. I've also used the toilets in Northwood Park, but they are only open in summer.

If you are concerned, stick to Cowes' high street area as there are lots of cafes and pubs with toilets for customers.

This large block of bogs can be found on near Cowes beach

Toilets at Freshwater Bay

Freshwater Bay recently unveiled new toilets. I was so excited I took a photo of it being built each time I walked past, as if I was going to create a time lapse video.

The downside is that there isn't much of a reliable plan B. Most of the food and drink places round there are either mobile or a bit inconsistent with opening hours. Dimbola Museum and café is a five minute walk away but you'd need to dine in or develop a sudden interest in Victorian photography.

Freshwater Bay has nice new toilets - but what is plan B if they are closed?

Toilets at Gurnard

This was a pay-as-you-pee toilet when we last needed it. I can see why they need these things but they can be frustrating if you don't have the right change or if the card reader won't work (I can't remember how the Gurnard one works). However, there is a large pub on the seafront so if all else fails, pop in to The Woodvale and buy a bowl of chips so you can use their toilet guilt-free.

I'm not really sure why I photographed all of the Isle of Wight's toilets...but here are Gurnard's

Toilets in Ryde

You should be fine for toilets on Ryde seafront, with a bit of planning. There are three public toilet blocks to choose from including one near the Waterside swimming pool, one about half way along the main stretch of sandy beach and another in Puckpool Park (accessed via a footpath near the Dell Café).

My advice is to do a quick reconnaissance trip before you actually need to go. Ryde is a large town rather than an idyllic rural backwater so there are several news stories about public toilets including the phrase 'mindless vandalism'.

Once you've figured out which toilet is open, you can position yourself within a short walk away.

As an aside, why do reporters point out that it is 'mindless' vandalism? Is there such a thing as thoughtful vandalism?

There are three public toilet blocks near this beach in Ryde - but don't be surprised if one of them is closed

Toilets in Sandown

Sandown is a bit like Ryde of terms of toilet facilities. I wouldn't offer you a guarantee that every toilet block will be open (reviews and my experience says otherwise). However, there is more than one public toilet, so you can do a little research trip and then position yourself on the beach near to one that's open.

On recent visits, I've found the Sandham Gardens public toilets to be open whilst the toilet block near the Sandown Pier was closed. However, that is just based on a couple of outings, so you may find the opposite is true as I know there is work to update the more centrally located toilets. The Sandham Gardens toilets are set back from the beach a little.

There are also quite a few cafes and some other facilities on the seafront so with a bit of planning you'll be fine.

Sandown has a couple of seafront toilet blocks - but check if they are open first

Toilets in Shanklin

Shanklin Seafront is generally fine for toilets. We have used the toilets near the Small Hope Beach car park a few times and found them to be open and slightly better than average (let's not raise expectations too high). There are also toilets further along the esplanade near to the cliff lift and lots of cafes and pubs in Shanklin. As with Ryde and Sandown, the toilets are busy so there is a bigger chance of them being closed because of a problem. Do a quick research trip when you arrive if you want to be near to an open toilets.

The main public toilets in Shanklin are behind this minigolf course

Toilets in Totland

Totland is similar to Colwell. The toilets on the seafront have been open whenever I've needed them but there's also a seafront pub where you could buy something and use their toilets if needed. The public toilets are pretty ancient but I'll take what's available when I need to go!

Totland has an old toilet block and a pub with toilets for customers

Toilets in Ventnor

There's only one toilet block on Ventnor seafront and there was a story in 2023 about them being closed at night due to 'persistent vandalism'. That doesn't bode well and fits with my experience of them being closed one time when we needed them. I should point out that they were open on our last visit, but the nearest public alternative is a long walk up a steep hill.

The good news is that there are several cafes and pubs on Ventnor seafront which have toilets for customers. As long as you are willing to buy something then you should be fine.

As an aside, the toilets in Ventnor's car park opposite Tesco were the best public toilets I've used in years - but they aren't near to the beach. These will certainly feature in my long-planned guide to the Isle of Wight's best toilets...

Ventnor seafront only has one toilet (and a problem with vandals) but there are cafes and pubs

Toilets in Yaverland

The public toilets at Yaverland are quite decent and I can only think of one time that they weren't open when I needed them. There's a small café at Yaverland with a toilet for customers that could operate as a backup, as long as you are happy to buy something. There are also public toilets in Sandham Gardens, which is about half a mile away.

Yaverland beach has a fairly modern toilet in the car park

Toilets for Yarmouth

Yarmouth isn't really a beach resort, but it's a nice place to potter about and look at trinkets or buy a croissant. There are two public toilets - one on the outskirts of town in the direction of Newport and another near Yarmouth bus station. The one near the bus station costs 20p (cash or card).

I can't guarantee either will be open, but Yarmouth is quiet and posh so vandalised toilets would be met with gasps and clutching of pearl necklaces rather than people saying 'oh no, not again'.

There are also some pubs and cafes in Yarmouth with toilets for customers. Some of them are a bit posh so you couldn't really casually wander in and spend a couple of pounds (after you've spent a penny). You may end up in an awkward situation where you feel obliged to eat a six-course taster menu with wine pairings just because you wanted to use the toilet.

Even the toilets in Yarmouth have nice architecture

What about disabled toilets?

If you are specifically looking for disabled toilets then the Isle of Wight Council has a list on its website. I am not entirely clear if you need a radar key for all of these places.

The gist of it - at the time of writing - is that the following beaches have disabled toilets near the beach:

Colwell (on the only road approaching the beach)
Cowes (near the main section of green, overlooking the shingle beach)
Gurnard (the pay as you pee toilets overlooking the beach huts)
Ryde (two toilets, including one near the swimming pool and another on the way towards Appley Tower from the town)
Sandown (near to the Pier)
Shanklin (near to the dinosaur minigolf)
Ventnor (near to the seafront paddling pool)
Yaverland (in the car park)

Of course, I can't guarantee which of these will be open when you need it but it's a good start.

Some of the Isle of Wight's Supermarkets are also good for disabled toilets.

Please Could you include a disclaimer to point out the bleedin' obvious?

This advice changes over time so it might be wrong by the time you need it. I will update this page if it proves popular, but check the date at the top of the page to see how current it is.

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