A public toilet on Weymouth seafront has been closed after an arson attack.

Emergency services were called to an underground toilet on the Esplanade, opposite the King’s Statue, shortly after 6.30pm on Monday.

Visitors have now expressed concern about the impact the closure will have on facilities in the town.

It comes after an unpopular decision to close and sell-off public toilets on Bond Street.

Extra facilities have been opened outside Weymouth Pavilion, but critics said more provision was needed in the central area of the Esplanade.

A fire crew from Weymouth attended the incident, assisted by colleagues from Poole.

Darren O’Shen, of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, said: “We were called to a fire in a downstairs toilet. We used two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet.”

Eyewitness Jim Lynch, on holiday in Weymouth, saw smoke from his hotel window.

He said: “The whole area was covered in smoke, you couldn’t see a thing. It was really bad.”

Firefighters used a large fan to clear the smoke from the building while police officers closed the road and diverted traffic.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “The fire is believed to be suspicious. Police are investigating. No arrests have been made.”

Today, the toilets remained closed.

Michael Ashcroft, on holiday in Weymouth, said: “You’d think they’d have more toilets in a seaside resort where there are a lot of people. If it was me closing this toilet, I’d have put a Portaloo there because there are so many people around.”

Brian Slattery, also a visitor to the town, said: “Unless you go in to somewhere and buy something to eat or drink there’s nowhere to go.”

Richard Ives added: “It’s not too bad on day like today, it’s whether it will still be closed at the weekend when it’s much busier.”

A spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said they are hopeful the toilet will reopen before the weekend.

“The Esplanade gents toilets are temporarily closed due to smoke and fire damage which was caused by a fire,” they said.

“The cause of this fire is being investigated and every attempt is being made to reopen these toilets as soon as possible.

“Arrangements have been made for a temporary gents toilets to be located in a partitioned section of the ladies toilets which are located adjacent to the gentleman’s toilets. It is hoped that the gents toilets will be re-opened for the weekend.”