NEGOTIATIONS are to be held to ensure four moorland public lavatories remain open.

"People come to the North York Moors National Park for a view, a brew, and a loo. This is what we should remember," the park authority was told yesterday by member Pat Chandler.

Members were asked to discuss "with some urgency" whether to take over four public lavatories in the Esk Valley to prevent them from being closed by Scarborough council.

The conveniences at Aisalby, Commondale, Egton and Westerdale are among a number Scarborough council is planning to close to save money to spend on improving urban facilities.

National park planning officers yesterday recommended that the authority take over ownership of the four lavatories, which would cost the authority £10,000 a year.

Richard Dunston, planning officer, believed the cost could be reduced by better management. He said taking over the toilets would be of benefit to the park. "People plan walks around the availability of toilets and I think we would be justified in taking them on," he said.

Although many members were against the recommendation on principle, it was agreed they should be kept open at all costs.

Herbert Tindall, chairman of Danby Parish Council, has led fierce opposition to the closure.

"These toilets serve not only tourists but people who come to the villages and the mobile library," he said. "We do not want up-market toilets, just clean, presentable ones. If the toilets are closed, people will have to go back to the days when they had to go behind a hedge or wall to answer a call of nature.

Further negotiations with Sacrborough council will now take place.