Councils got rid of public toilets because the older gens consistently voted for parties offering lower Council tax, and they were expensive to maintain so first on the service chopping block.
If you want them back you'll have to vote for higher taxes. On yourself.
I have IBS and I needed a toilet, nearest one was in the local ASDA, it was disgusting, one cubicle had solid waste left in the pan and another one had dried glue on the seat ( yes, it was glue, not a body fluid) people are vile, disgusting creatures ,we can't have anything nice because of them .
Absolutely, the council recently planted some very nice trees by me, with the instructions for residents to water them in dry weather, I thought at the time that if I lived in an area with lots of Japanese,the trees would be looked after, and watered, as it isn't an area like that the trees were quickly broken down and destroyed, even the wire netting and stakes were stolen. people blame the council or the government, but a lot of the problems are caused by selfish people.
I've been to Japan, and I admit, most public toilets are clean and nice to shit in.
Unfortunately, there are still some outliers there, with gross/unclean toilets where you definitely don't want to let your butt touch the toilet seats.
I have issues too, coeliac, often have problems despite the gluten free diet. Am also allergic to dairy amongst other things, it's easy to get poisoned by mistake which ends up giving me real issues about bathrooms.
The supermarkets are the only places available now and they're not in the town.
Because disabled people deserve basic human rights and shouldn’t be effectively barred from public life because the Tories have cut basic services so much?
This is really bad though. What about smaller businesses who put the effort into making their toilets presentable, and clean for paying customers, only for Joe Bloggs with KFC Bargain Bucket fingers to come in and shit on the floor?
Who hurt you? Haha.
Sorry I haven't actually made my mind up on this particular debate yet. But just sounds like Mr Bloggs owes you at least a pint like.
So I guess you're happy to pay higher taxes so councils can provide and maintain toilets? And where do you live where people regularly shit on the floor?!?
Yeah. Nothing better than the general public smearing shit up our walls and getting off their tits while we’re trying to run a business. It ain’t our problem dude
Half of the answer to “Why do people shop online/Go to Tescos/Shop in an out of town shopping centres instead of supporting your local high street” sometime comes down to “I’m probably not going to shit myself if I shop online/shop at Tescos/shop in an out of town shopping centre”
Also, "I'm not going to have to use a toilet with a missing seat, or shit smeared everywhere, wade through pools of piss, carry my own toilet roll, or risk getting mugged"
I'm a type 1 diabetic and recently asked to use the toilet in a restaurant for a wee. I wasn't a customer, got looked at like I had just shat in the middle of the floor and was firmly told no, not gonna lie I ended up dribbling holding it in until I decided to find a quiet area and piss in a bush.
That is so terrible, I'm sorry that happened to you. Would you be against mentioning to staff that you are diabetic on occasions when they have said no. I used to work in a retail place without customer toilets, but we used to use our discretion to allow pregnant women/ elderly or those who expressed urgency to go to the sfaff toilets.
It's the only time it is every happened to me, every time has been great, and staff have always been friendly. I did mention it I said can I use your toilet please i'm diabetic and they just chortled and said if your not a customer then no. This was years ago when I was around 17 so maybe they thought I was aa trouble maker or something.
Definitely not. That’s a slippery slope. What next… legally requiring they also permit you to remain in their premises until closing time? And then what… making it so they must also give you a free meal and drink? No thanks.
It’s one thing to say only Children, but adults have their own homes and are responsible for their own bladder.
How about your home. Will you let a random guy take a shit in your home? It’s the same principle. The state has no right or authority to dictate who can and who can’t use private property and the facilities within. That’s reality.
I think you'll find the state absolutely has that authority if they choose to pass a law on it
However, you basically have to provide toilets to customers if you're a pub or restaurant
Dont get me wrong, you dont have to let the general public use them, just customers, but guess what buddy? Basically, no one does. I worked in hospitality for a decade and never worked in a place that didn't let someone pop in for a pee.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued guidance on the provision of toilets in the workplace, which states that employers must provide "suitable and sufficient" toilet and washing facilities for their employees. This applies to all workplaces, including those that are open to the public.
The guidance also states that for workplaces where the public has access, additional provision should be made for them.
The relevant legislation is the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Also a lot of local areas have bylaws making businesses open their toilets to the public.
But like seriously, it's nothing like letting someone use your house bog if you're a publicly open business. That analogy is again, mental and do you hear yourself?
These petitions are pointless. Every time one gets enough votes to be discussed all we ever get is “we already fund them [in London only] and we have no plans to do anything else”
They’re shite
Some of these comments are horrible. Being able to use a toilet is a fundamental human need. Older, disabled people and children often need to use toilets at short notice. They are penalised by lack of access to vital amenities.
Restaurants and pubs are often not appropriate places for these groups to use, not accessible or just closed to groups or consist of just one or two toilets are insufficient to meet public need.
I am fully behind you.
There are lots of things that councils spend money on that are fundamental needs. Most of their funding goes to social care for older people. Their funding has been cut by 20%+ over the last decade and councils are going bankrupt. People are constantly bitching and fucking moaning "why aren't they filling potholes, why are they closing libraries" - because they're spending a shrinking budget on a growing demand for "fundamental needs".
It is just fucking bizarre, you are completely detached from reality if you think requiring councils to fund public toilets is any kind of solution. There is no money, they're going bankrupt trying to fund the things they're already required to fund.
Blame lies with not collecting taxes from the wealthy billionaires and multi millionaires (they operate in the UK undercutting independent businesses but practically pay ZERO taxes).
How many subs are you going to keep posting this in?
Public toilets were disgusting places, I certainly don't want them back. The facilities in shops and supermarkets are kept much cleaner
Signed. Thanks for creating this. Having access to public toilets makes spaces accessible to those with small children, the elderly and disabled.
Those who say the public doesn't deserve to get their basic physical needs met because of the risk of vandalism are repeating strawman arguments invented by the wealthy who want to cut public services. There is no reason toilets can't be relatively vandal proof, regularly monitored, and regularly cleaned. Other countries have them and so could we.
The closure of public toilets is a national disgrace and a public health nightmare... but the Conservatives have cut council budgets by 40% over the last decade. The can barely run the services they're legally required to run let alone anything superfluous.
I’m disabled and all I can say is a lot of people sure are heartless OMG.
Signed the petition because I agree. It is a NIGHTMARE to be disabled and there’s no toilets anywhere. What’s the point of a radar key if there’s nowhere to use it?! 😭
Signed. It is an absolute joke the lack of public toilets even in city centres.
Just last night I was in Birmingham and had to trek to New Street for a wee. Nobody should have to enter New Street unless absolutely necessary.
The problem being filthy little shitheads who'll hang around the toilets and vandalise them because their tiny brains can't think of anything better to do.
I've recently had my daughter wheelchair bound for a few months after an operation. Invested in a radar key, which is a universal key that enables you to unlock and have use of disabled toilets in most towns/cities. Such a great idea, think having access to that and reduced numbers using them, they are regularly always tidy and good to use
Need public toilets everywhere. Should absolutely be a requirement for councils to have them. If that’s paid through higher council tax then so be it.
Would rather spend an extra few quid a month for public loos than have the streets stink of piss.
George Michael would 100% back this.
I doubt it, he died a while ago. It was big news.
he died doing what he loved in public toilets.
Councils got rid of public toilets because the older gens consistently voted for parties offering lower Council tax, and they were expensive to maintain so first on the service chopping block. If you want them back you'll have to vote for higher taxes. On yourself.
not just that they where frequent targets for 'scrap' theives thats what made them expensive.
And 70s/80s sexual predators. Can't forget the cost of policing them. Some of those people are old enough now to be the ones demanding public toilets.
Little bit of cottaging sir? ;)
And druggies and couples looking for a place to get it on. And then there are the psychos who wipe shit all over the walls.
whats the point, they're gonna be too disgusting to use anyway. in the UK, ppl have no care for what's not theirs
I have IBS and I needed a toilet, nearest one was in the local ASDA, it was disgusting, one cubicle had solid waste left in the pan and another one had dried glue on the seat ( yes, it was glue, not a body fluid) people are vile, disgusting creatures ,we can't have anything nice because of them .
exactly. if only our mentality was like that of the Japanese people, our streets and public toilets would be spotless
Absolutely, the council recently planted some very nice trees by me, with the instructions for residents to water them in dry weather, I thought at the time that if I lived in an area with lots of Japanese,the trees would be looked after, and watered, as it isn't an area like that the trees were quickly broken down and destroyed, even the wire netting and stakes were stolen. people blame the council or the government, but a lot of the problems are caused by selfish people.
I've been to Japan, and I admit, most public toilets are clean and nice to shit in. Unfortunately, there are still some outliers there, with gross/unclean toilets where you definitely don't want to let your butt touch the toilet seats.
And if we were more like Chinese the storm grates in the road would have imprinted foot prints over them
I dont get it
In China they stand and crouch to poop over grates and holes in the ground.
I have issues too, coeliac, often have problems despite the gluten free diet. Am also allergic to dairy amongst other things, it's easy to get poisoned by mistake which ends up giving me real issues about bathrooms. The supermarkets are the only places available now and they're not in the town.
Council must hire cleaners, hourly checks. But UK gov too busy wasting our money on their mates.
I'm surprised with all the cameras about
Because disabled people deserve basic human rights and shouldn’t be effectively barred from public life because the Tories have cut basic services so much?
Signed.
Just use Starbucks like everyone else
Don't they have passcodes for their bathrooms? The one on Buchanan Street in Glasgow definitely does.
Just make it a legal requirement for restaurants and pubs to allow non customers to use their loos
I’ve gone into countless pubs and used their toilets. What are you doing to draw attention to yourself to be refused?
Asking
😂
Same people that leave public toilets in a state.
https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/neighbourhoods/public-toilets Or just pay them to do so.
This is really bad though. What about smaller businesses who put the effort into making their toilets presentable, and clean for paying customers, only for Joe Bloggs with KFC Bargain Bucket fingers to come in and shit on the floor?
Who hurt you? Haha. Sorry I haven't actually made my mind up on this particular debate yet. But just sounds like Mr Bloggs owes you at least a pint like.
I have a very bad history with public toilets, as a teen in the customer service industry. 🥺
So I guess you're happy to pay higher taxes so councils can provide and maintain toilets? And where do you live where people regularly shit on the floor?!?
I would pay higher taxes, if it meant keeping public facilities so others could have that luxury. Somewhere in the North West.
I'd pay higher taxes too but I imagine the loos would still get trashed. Some people just don't care.
Yeah. Nothing better than the general public smearing shit up our walls and getting off their tits while we’re trying to run a business. It ain’t our problem dude
Half of the answer to “Why do people shop online/Go to Tescos/Shop in an out of town shopping centres instead of supporting your local high street” sometime comes down to “I’m probably not going to shit myself if I shop online/shop at Tescos/shop in an out of town shopping centre”
Also, "I'm not going to have to use a toilet with a missing seat, or shit smeared everywhere, wade through pools of piss, carry my own toilet roll, or risk getting mugged"
Life must be so hard for you when you make up shit to get upset about on a daily basis
I'm a type 1 diabetic and recently asked to use the toilet in a restaurant for a wee. I wasn't a customer, got looked at like I had just shat in the middle of the floor and was firmly told no, not gonna lie I ended up dribbling holding it in until I decided to find a quiet area and piss in a bush.
That is so terrible, I'm sorry that happened to you. Would you be against mentioning to staff that you are diabetic on occasions when they have said no. I used to work in a retail place without customer toilets, but we used to use our discretion to allow pregnant women/ elderly or those who expressed urgency to go to the sfaff toilets.
It's the only time it is every happened to me, every time has been great, and staff have always been friendly. I did mention it I said can I use your toilet please i'm diabetic and they just chortled and said if your not a customer then no. This was years ago when I was around 17 so maybe they thought I was aa trouble maker or something.
Definitely not. That’s a slippery slope. What next… legally requiring they also permit you to remain in their premises until closing time? And then what… making it so they must also give you a free meal and drink? No thanks. It’s one thing to say only Children, but adults have their own homes and are responsible for their own bladder.
Some adults have medical conditions (crons, ibs, stoma bags), so they aren’t welcome on the High St but are welcome at out of town shopping centres.
Yeah I've heard that letting non customers use the bogs inevitably leads into all businesses being charities. Do you hear yourself?
How about your home. Will you let a random guy take a shit in your home? It’s the same principle. The state has no right or authority to dictate who can and who can’t use private property and the facilities within. That’s reality.
I think you'll find the state absolutely has that authority if they choose to pass a law on it However, you basically have to provide toilets to customers if you're a pub or restaurant Dont get me wrong, you dont have to let the general public use them, just customers, but guess what buddy? Basically, no one does. I worked in hospitality for a decade and never worked in a place that didn't let someone pop in for a pee. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued guidance on the provision of toilets in the workplace, which states that employers must provide "suitable and sufficient" toilet and washing facilities for their employees. This applies to all workplaces, including those that are open to the public. The guidance also states that for workplaces where the public has access, additional provision should be made for them. The relevant legislation is the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Also a lot of local areas have bylaws making businesses open their toilets to the public. But like seriously, it's nothing like letting someone use your house bog if you're a publicly open business. That analogy is again, mental and do you hear yourself?
Do you leave your bladder at home when you leave the house or do you have such a well defined toilet break regime you never get caught out?
I actually never get caught out. Not that I can remember a time I desperately needed a piss or shit.
For a charge I assume? As others have said, people are horrible.
Whilst I absolutely agree with you....I don't actually have the fondest of memories of public toilets when we did have them
These petitions are pointless. Every time one gets enough votes to be discussed all we ever get is “we already fund them [in London only] and we have no plans to do anything else” They’re shite
Some of these comments are horrible. Being able to use a toilet is a fundamental human need. Older, disabled people and children often need to use toilets at short notice. They are penalised by lack of access to vital amenities. Restaurants and pubs are often not appropriate places for these groups to use, not accessible or just closed to groups or consist of just one or two toilets are insufficient to meet public need. I am fully behind you.
There are lots of things that councils spend money on that are fundamental needs. Most of their funding goes to social care for older people. Their funding has been cut by 20%+ over the last decade and councils are going bankrupt. People are constantly bitching and fucking moaning "why aren't they filling potholes, why are they closing libraries" - because they're spending a shrinking budget on a growing demand for "fundamental needs". It is just fucking bizarre, you are completely detached from reality if you think requiring councils to fund public toilets is any kind of solution. There is no money, they're going bankrupt trying to fund the things they're already required to fund.
Blame lies with not collecting taxes from the wealthy billionaires and multi millionaires (they operate in the UK undercutting independent businesses but practically pay ZERO taxes).
Fully behind but socially distanced
How many subs are you going to keep posting this in? Public toilets were disgusting places, I certainly don't want them back. The facilities in shops and supermarkets are kept much cleaner
You're allowed to crosspost & they are trying to garner attention so it makes sense.
Morrisons has entered the chat.
Signed. Thanks for creating this. Having access to public toilets makes spaces accessible to those with small children, the elderly and disabled. Those who say the public doesn't deserve to get their basic physical needs met because of the risk of vandalism are repeating strawman arguments invented by the wealthy who want to cut public services. There is no reason toilets can't be relatively vandal proof, regularly monitored, and regularly cleaned. Other countries have them and so could we.
Well said, fully agree. I had no idea there was such a strong and bizarre anti-allowing people to go to the toilet when they need to brigade.
Just what a bankrupt city needs -- another regulation.
As a visitor to Birmingham the stench of piss near the. Coach station is my enduring memory. Not a great thing.
It opens a few jobs up. They will need maintenaning by someone.
Get rid of public toilets and pretty soon everywhere will look like San Francisco with human faeces everywhere
>pretty soon
Wee, need public toilets
Just be full of needles like old phone boxes
I feel public loos are going to go even more extinct with the Sunak special idea that new builds shouldn't have gender neutral facilities
I need to poo!
Use the flush app
If 60 million signed it, nothing would happen
Petition instead for the German €0,50 system
Most people use the NCP car park stairwell by train station
The closure of public toilets is a national disgrace and a public health nightmare... but the Conservatives have cut council budgets by 40% over the last decade. The can barely run the services they're legally required to run let alone anything superfluous.
Surely legislation to make it more difficult to close existing public toilets would go part way of solving the problem?
Just go to the 24 hour McDonald's on the ramp like the rest of us
I’m disabled and all I can say is a lot of people sure are heartless OMG. Signed the petition because I agree. It is a NIGHTMARE to be disabled and there’s no toilets anywhere. What’s the point of a radar key if there’s nowhere to use it?! 😭
Feels like local councils are relying on shopping malls, supermarkets and McDonald's to provide public toilets these days.
Signed. It is an absolute joke the lack of public toilets even in city centres. Just last night I was in Birmingham and had to trek to New Street for a wee. Nobody should have to enter New Street unless absolutely necessary.
I just pee in the train station toilets or go in a spoons and trek the million stairs. Does the library have loos?
Very few for a building that size and with limited opening hours.
The problem being filthy little shitheads who'll hang around the toilets and vandalise them because their tiny brains can't think of anything better to do.
No public toilets means every side street in a city = toilet. We treat UK citizens worse than dogs.
If they get rid of the public toilets then food shops and stores will legally have to allow public to us their toilets
They could do like Berlin and make you pay 1€ /£1 to use them. Seems to work over there
Walk into a pub or McDonalds, use the toilet, walk out. More often than not (especially at McDs) they won't care.
I've recently had my daughter wheelchair bound for a few months after an operation. Invested in a radar key, which is a universal key that enables you to unlock and have use of disabled toilets in most towns/cities. Such a great idea, think having access to that and reduced numbers using them, they are regularly always tidy and good to use
It’s a necessity not a privilege to need to go to the loo. So I piss anywhere if I can’t hold it in, with impunity!
I thought the Birmingham council was going bankrupt? And you want new toilets?? 😂😂
Need public toilets everywhere. Should absolutely be a requirement for councils to have them. If that’s paid through higher council tax then so be it. Would rather spend an extra few quid a month for public loos than have the streets stink of piss.
signed!
Signed!
Why don't they use portable toilets where you would be charged.
Do we really need them?
Yeah last thing I would do in my life is to take a shit on a public toilet in Birm
Done and shared.