Public toilets

Loved your story gillybob - gave me a huge smile - thanks for cheering up the day!

gillybob What a funny story. I was on a very long bus journey in Crete many years ago. The group had been taken to an ancient monastry high on a mountain. Those who wished to use 'the facilities' were told to take the first turn on the left...to our horror we discovered a very large, niffy pit in the ground...and that, my dears, was where we "went"

My daughter, her partner and some friends recently went to see Take That at our local football ground and just before the guys came on stage I (being of that certain age) decided that I better go to the loo then, rather than being desperate in the middle of the main event. Being a football stadium most of the loos are geared towards men and as you can imagine the queues for the limited amount of ladies toilets were massive. My daughter and a couple of outher "ladies" decided that rather than miss the concert they would pop into the mens loos and dragged me along with them........ at which point quite a few other ladies joined us creating a queue at the mens such as they had never experienced before. One "lady" decided that she would work as toilet controller and quickly formed two orderly queues by shouting "if you need a cubicle queue to the right and "if you can stand and pee, queue to the left".. The men going in and out had a giggle when she bellowed " keep your eyes right ladies there's nothing impressive to see on the left hand side, I should know I've just had a good look" I was mortified but didn't miss a single minute of the concert !

If you have a 'smart phone' you can get an application called 'toilet finder', there may be other apps available which are similar. I've found this to be an invaluable aid, not only does it pinpoint you to where the loos can be found, but it acts like a 'sat nav' and as you walk along it guides you to the toilet. It's saved me some embarrasing moments I can tell you!! The only thing it doesn't do is tell you the condition of the toilets, but....needs must sometimes...!

janan - I have sometimes thought of getting one of these but wasn't sure what you did with it after you'd used it or where you kept it. Have you actually used yours outside yet, what did you think?

I'm quite fussy about public loos and not letting little hands touch the toilet seat, etc. I came across an idea for "private" public loos on the Springwise web site (see link below). Personally I would pay £1 to use a very clean loo in a high street with full facilities if I can't find one in a shop. I thought this was also quite a good business idea as everyone needs loos. I think if there is always an attendant, the loos do not become unpleasant.

http://www.springwise.com/retail/2theloo/

I remember as a child being taken to the toilets in Cole Brothers (now John Lewis) in Sheffield and the attendant working there would check each toilet before she let you in and clean up if necessary. This probably encouraged people to leave the toilet as they found it. It always smelled lovely and was impeccably clean.

We used to do the 2 car doors thing when we went on family holidays but it got embarrassing as we reached adolescence! I had a good experience in Prague a few years ago. I somehow expected public loos to be scruffy there but was wrong. There were so many great public toilets as clean as a bathroom in your own home!

Have just bought a thing called a "she-wee" which has a spout and enables you to stand up and wee like a man!! No squatting down, or dropping of clothes. Tried it in the bath and it works. Available on the internet (£5) or in camping shops. Very popular with walkers. Hope this is of help to people like me who become stressed on long journeys or walks where there are no loos. Equality with men at last (at least in the peeing department)!!

So pleased that you think it worth noting toilet locations. Gail Knight's thinking - as I understand it - is to contact councils and have them put their toilet details on their web pages. This is useful, but I feel that having the actual comments of USERS to council run and non council toilets as well would be even more helpful and widen our choice. At the click of a mouse - or as an app we could have the opportunity to see whether (a) there are usable toilets in a particular area and (b) the standard of facility offered. Another advantage is that it can be done piecemeal and added to as and when - just like Gransnet

I'm sure there is a way we can do this effectively by devising a suitable, SIMPLE database perhaps by County. I see the main issue to be overcome will be the means of keeping it updated. If it's not kept up to date it will fail as a useful tool.

Any thoughts anyone?

Public Toilets in Edinburgh (where I live)

Earlier in the year, City Councillors agreed to close half of the 30 public toilet facilities in Edinburgh. local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/15803-the-edinburgh-public-toilet-survey-2011/ is a link to an article asking for opinions on which of the 30 residents think should be closed.

To help identify just where the 30 toilets are, they include a link to a map goo.gl/maps/3SbK I am not sure this will be much help to anyone once the number is halved, but I am posting the link in case it is useful to anyone planning to visit this summer.

If you live in or near or are passing through these councils you could be in luck.:-
Lichfield District Council
Lincoln City Council
London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Wandsworth
Manchester City Council
Salford City Council
Sunderland City Council
Surrey Heath Borough Council
Tandridge District Council

and these councils have added a toilet list to their "to do" lists:-

Aberdeen City Council
Pendle Borough Council
Trafford District Council
Walsall Council

Follow this link for more info gailknight.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/open-data-councils/

Watch this space. If I find anything else useful I will post it.

Well folks, top of the list when I googled "survey" and "public toilets" was this page gailknight.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/ordnance-survey/

It does not sound easy to make a map, but perhaps a list of the loos in individual areas would be possible.

I'll go back to Google

goldengirl - I'm sure I have seen a survey of public loos somewhere. I shall get googling and see what I can find.

That was exactly my point goldengirl not all disabled people use a wheelchair or stick...I don't either...so how can you check out that there is no one disabled about who'd need it.

I think your idea is brilliant....it would be so helpful in planning visits etc
There is nothing more irritating than finding a public toilet only to find out it is locked and the 'nearest' open toilet is miles away.

I have a 'minor' disability which requires me to use a loo frequently and I do use the accessible loo [I know it's signed as 'disabled' but I want one that works!! ] from time to time if there is a queue and I have a problem looming. However I get the odd black look because I don't 'look' disabled eg I'm not in a wheelchair abd I don't have a stick.

Your point Elegran about not knowing where the loos are - nor their state if there are - follows my original comment on 1 June. Could we perhaps establish something like Tripadvisor which receives comments on hotels to provide information on toilet in our areas or whenever we visit somewhere? Would Gransnet be willing to assist?

A local junior school has just complained to the Isle of Wight Council that they visited a beach on the Island which they'd done several times before and found, on this occasion, the toilets had been shut down. The children were very distressed and had to go behind a boat. (1) this is not hygenic and (2) this does not encourage good practice. 'Holding on' is (a) not always possible, especially with little children and (b) is not recommended as it can cause medical problems - which of course costs the NHS as well as being upsetting for the child/person concerned.

Sorry folks, this is one of my hobby horses

dorsetpennt - even more disgusting to need - NOW - in a strange town where you do not know where the loos are, or what they will be like when you find them. The only bushes could be in public parks beside the children's play area, involving instant arrest.

I do use the disabled loo but I do check out that there is no one disabled about who'd need it. Why not? I've had some really black looks from those too scared to do it themselves and relieved [in more ways then one] from those who realise they can do it too. I know where all the public loos are in our town and they are all fine - I also know where the loos are in shops and cafes. Being a countrygirl at heart I'm not at all worried about going behind a bush when we're walking in the country or New Forest. I have a friend who refuses to do this and her walks can be a misery for her if she needs to use the loo. As for the bowl and contraption mentioned, sorry sounds disgusting!!

Can I just say that although there might not be anyone waiting for the disabled loo you still shouldn't use it. Some disabled people cannot wait to use a loo and if an able-bodied person is in there it could cause them difficulties. I do speak from experience and, although disabled myself, only ever use these facilities if I'm desperate.
I have no problem with you using the changing room though as this is not a matter of urgency.

Why not use the disabled loo? if there is noone waiting it should not be a problem. I use disabled changing rooms too, much roomier.

never quite brave enough, I just wait in the queue - very British!

if there is a queue do you use the 'disabled' loo ?

I love that tale, gma

We were in a local chinese buffet restaurant with our two eldest grandsons- then age 11 and 6, and the younger one wanted to go to the loo. Big brother offered to take him and off they went. After a few minutes they both returned looking a bit sheepish. The following conversation ensued..
Grandson No. 2 "Grandma, you know that machine that they have on the wall in mens toilets?"
Me "Yesssssss" in a slightly strangled voice
Grandson No.2 "Well, Alex (grandson No.1) poked it a bit and look what came out"
I looked in his hand and he had a disposable toothbrush!!!!
Grandson No.2 "Isn't that a great invention"
Me "Certainly is!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Phew ..

Supernan - you definitely live somewhere sensible. Some time a go there was mention of this sort of scheme being rolled out all round the country but as is with most good ideas, it's found it's way to the 'tip'. I am sure it would be cheaper for local authorities to pay certain pubs, shops etc a suitable amount, to permit the public to make use of their facilities. Keeping their own loos clean and paying for upkeep would surely exceed these agreed payments to someone else.

I do so agree, but then most of the architects that plan these buildings are men - - - -

What about cinemas and theatres? The queue for the ladies was so long at a matinee once that a group of us once took over the Gents as well (with a husband "guardian" outside to explain the problem) as otherwise we would never have got into the 2nd half of the show. Luckily all the men were reasonably sympathetic.
They need at least TWICE as many Ladies as Gents.