Disgusting lack of public toilet provision in city centre.

[sheffstar01 10]

Hi , Im a store manager for a store In sheffield City centre and have been for 6 years now, intially I was happy for anyone to use the toilet, however in the last 2 years there has been a sudden build up of teenage kids hanging around the city centre, they dont buy anything, they are not there to shop, they just stand around.

We have been forced to place locks on the doors after finding needles, used condoms and blood in the toilets and now toilets are strickly customer only.

I can undestand why people are so frustrated, however customers expect a clean toilet in a store and when its being used by 350 people a day, 280 of which are not your customers, and 40 of which use it for needles/sex etc it becomes too expensive to be cleaning them every 5 mins!

Please dont rely on shops/ bars/ cafes and instead petition the local council, or buy something from the shop, this then helps us put staff on to keep them clean for you!

No one wants dirty grotty toilets, but they cost money to maintain and keep clean, its not fair to expect to be able to use any establishments toilets without buying something and thus contributing to there upkeep.

[Darth Vader 10]

Hi , Im a store manager for a store In sheffield City centre and have been for 6 years now, intially I was happy for anyone to use the toilet, however in the last 2 years there has been a sudden build up of teenage kids hanging around the city centre, they dont buy anything, they are not there to shop, they just stand around.

We have been forced to place locks on the doors after finding needles, used condoms and blood in the toilets and now toilets are strickly customer only.

I can undestand why people are so frustrated, however customers expect a clean toilet in a store and when its being used by 350 people a day, 280 of which are not your customers, and 40 of which use it for needles/sex etc it becomes too expensive to be cleaning them every 5 mins!

Please dont rely on shops/ bars/ cafes and instead petition the local council, or buy something from the shop, this then helps us put staff on to keep them clean for you!

No one wants dirty grotty toilets, but they cost money to maintain and keep clean, its not fair to expect to be able to use any establishments toilets without buying something and thus contributing to there upkeep.

 

I can thoroughly understand your predicament and empathise. Wouldn't it be more customer-friendly to have an attendant on the toilets? Who would then ask for a reasonable fee towards cleaning, which, I'm sure, if you're conveniently placed, people would be prepared to pay, or, sight of a till receipt instead. This could actually bring you more revenue in, in a public loo deprived city like ours, rather than harming your business by folk thinking you're mean.

 

I'd be more inclined to make purchases in a shop that I don't feel is being mean, and a shop that is being a bit more public spirited. I've heard that there is a store in Sheffield that insists on customers purchasing something in the restaurant to use their toilets, in my mind, that's disgusting. If I'm in a store, and I'm a customer, looking to make a purchase and wanted to go to the loo but can't, then I'd not shop there, to be honest.

[Darth Vader 10]

I do not see why we cannot have open air urinals like they do in many mainland european countries.

 

And what do women get?

 

I think the problem is even more difficult for women, speaking to friends on the subject this evening. So if we had open air urinals for men, what for women?

 

I must tell you what one lady said, this evening. She said she was in the city centre, on a bench near Atkinsons. It was also a Sunday, around the same time, a few weeks ago, and she was waiting for her husband, sitting on a bench. A lovely young lady came up to her, and said she hoped my friend didn't mind, but she was going to have to squat behind an object nearby, to pee, as she had been everywhere and couldn't find a toilet and was desperate. My friend said 'I don't mind at all, but you do know that there will probably be cameras around that will see you'. The young lady replied 'If they can't provide a toilet, then I don't mind showing my **** to them'.

[ECCOnoob 1,050]

Its a good job that some of these people dont live on the continent.

 

Most in most major European cities all toilets council owed, department store or shopping centre have a charge to enter - some have attendants, some dont.

 

I just dont get what the problem is...... if you are a genuine shopper (even if you dont buy something from that particular shop) you should be able to use their toilets no problem..... if its got a code on just politely ASK for it to be opened.

 

As for the OP when shops are near closing that's the problem you face... the city is getting quiet so many toilets are closed. Just go to a pub.... most of the "new bars" probably won't even notice you enter of leave anyway.

 

Lets face it if the Council did invest in more public loos the public purse brigade would kick off about costs....

[sedith 19]

I was shopping in Orchard Square today and came out of TKMaxx at 16.10. TKMaxx was still open. I went to the toilets in Orchard Square but they were closed. There was no sign anywhere indicating alternative provision. I think this is rubbish when the shops in Orchard Square were still open.

 

I walked to the Town Hall, getting a little desperate, so, prepared to pay 20p begrudgingly, if the toilets were ok, but no, they were closed. Shops all around me were open though, and the centre was very busy. I remembered that I had seen a public toilet further down the Moor, I can't stand the idea of those phone box type ones, but I was desperate, so I walked down to that one. The sign said occupied, I could hear water running inside, I waited about 10 minutes, it was obvious then, that it was not in operation.

 

I then walked to the bottom of the Moor, to find that these toilets were closed too, surprise, surprise, eh?

 

What are you supposed to do? Find an alley or doorway to relieve yourself? And risk getting in to trouble for indecent exposure, a fine, humiliation, going on the sex offenders register, and losing your job? Or just avoid going to the city centre? I pay a decent whack in council taxes, surely, the council can provide toilet facilities in the city centre. I am disgusted. Surely, if the city centre is so busy at that time on a Sunday, and especially as we are encouraged more to shop on Sundays in the run-up to Christmas, there should be public toilets in the city centre.

 

It also got me wondering, it's Fright Night in a couple of weeks on Sunday. What toilet provision will there be for the many thousands landing on the city centre?

Go to the toilet in Wetherspoons?

[soft ayperth 11]

Took me some time to get used to when I moved over here but in Canada, and I believe North America generally, public toilets are very few and far between. People use toilets ("washrooms") in stores, coffee bars, pubs and petrol stations. In fact, all places serving food must by law have toilets available and they don't seem to care whether you're a customer or not. I don't know about the rest of Europe, but public toilets are part of the British culture. But I empathize with the OP because when I was over there recently, I did find myself caught out once or twice.

Edited October 11, 2010 by soft ayperth

[Bulgarian 10]

Gay men have spoiled public toilets for everyone...

 

Even for women ?

[Daven 10]

yes but OP said were closed today

 

No he didn't - he said thet Orchard Square toilets were closed.

[muddycoffee 10]

Mc Donalds has loo's

 

I'd rather defecate in my own clothes than be seen going into a McDonalds

[CheekyBandit 10]

Move Sheffield to Scotland ...

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=3317174#post3317174

[onewheeldave 22]

 

Lets face it if the Council did invest in more public loos the public purse brigade would kick off about costs....

 

No they wouldn't.

[Darth Vader 10]

No he didn't - he said thet Orchard Square toilets were closed.

 

The town hall ones were also closed, Daven. And the booth one on the Moor, (which I thought should be 24/7), and the toilets at the bottom of the Moor.