OWNERS of cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops have been asked to make toilets freely available to people who are not paying customers.

Letters have been sent out to 150 business owners across Bristol asking if they would like to register private loos in their premises as public conveniences.

Companies including Tesco, Asda, JD Wetherspoon and McDonald's have already signed up to the city council's Community Toilet Scheme – and the authority wants more firms to join.

But a coffee shop boss has criticised the idea, claiming that joining the scheme would leave his business out of pocket.

Hamid Parast, who owns the Havana Coffee cafes in Cotham and Clifton Village, has accused the council of asking business owners to become "free toilet attendants" and has questioned whether the authority "lives in the real world".

He said: "What do we get in return? We will be listed in the council's website as a place that non-customers can use our toilet for free.

"First they (the council) sell all the public toilets freehold, for as little as £3,000, and now they want us to become free toilet attendants."

Mr Parast said businesses would not receive a business rates discount by joining the scheme and may incur higher water and electricity bills.

He said: "If you add the cost of lighting, water and toilet paper, as well as unblocking and cleaning the toilets, it doesn't help small businesses in any shape and form.

"Thanks for the offer but our facility is for our paying customers only. I suggest the council builds some public toilets from the huge amount of business rates money it collects."

Alex Russo, owner of Ciao Italia in East Street, Bedminster, has not received a letter from the council about the scheme but says he does not allow people to use his toilets if they are not dining at his restaurant.

Mr Russo said: "I put up a sign up saying the facilities were for customers' use only because it was getting like a public toilet – it's not good for business. But if there was a mother and baby who needed to use the toilet, of course I would let them in.

"It's OK for pubs to allow members of the public in to use the toilets, but it's not right for restaurants."

In its letter to business owners, the council says it wants to make more clean, safe and accessible toilets available to the public.

It says those who joined the scheme would benefit from free advertising on the council website and in the tourist information centre.

The letter says: "Bristol residents and tourists alike will have another good reason to come into your business with the potential to spend whilst they are there. It's a great way of showing community involvement as well as potentially boosting business."

Other companies to have joined the scheme include the Toby Carvery in Henbury, Waitrose in Henleaze, Burger King in Eastville, Sainsbury's in Ashton and St Philip's Causeway, the Hen and Chicken pub in Southville, the Yeoman pub in Whitchurch and the Shield and Dagger pub in Whitchurch.

Julian Sarsby, owner of the Hen and Chicken in North Street, said he was happy for his venue to be part the council scheme.

He said: "I could only see a benefit to it. We've got plenty of facilities – including disabled toilets and baby changing facilities – and there's no cost associated with it. If someone buys a coffee here because they've been in to use the loo it can only be a plus. We are all desperate for the loo at some point."

Sean Donnelly, landlord of the Three Lions pub in West Street, Bedminster, said he allowed non-customers to use the toilets at his pub.

He said: "We have a couple of people a day coming in because there's nowhere else to go. We haven't had a letter from the council but I wouldn't have a problem signing up. There are not many public toilets anymore."

City council spokeswoman Vicky O'Loughlin said the authority was not aiming to expand the Community Toilet Scheme to cover any loss of public WCs.

She said: "This community toilet scheme, which is also used in other parts of the UK, has been run to provide more toilets for public use in addition to council-run facilities.

"For some years, more than 20 businesses from different parts of the city have been happy to take part in the scheme as a gesture of goodwill to the public and because it brings in potential customers.

"No council toilets have been closed, but this scheme expands facilities for residents when they are out and about and can help some older people feel more confident getting out and about.

"The latest letter is to offer other businesses the opportunity to join the scheme if they wish to. It is entirely voluntary."