Today, I wanted to talk to you about an issue that’s incredibly close to my heart: our country’s public toilet crisis. I’m sure you’ll know that I suffer from Crohn’s Disease and, as a result, I’m no stranger to needing the loo in public. Whether we’re socialising, travelling or just going about our daily life; those of us with IBD (and of course, other conditions such as IBS and coeliac disease too) will know how much we depend on public toilets. Without them, leaving the house would pretty much be impossible (and no, we can’t ‘just hold’ it until we find somewhere suitable!).
I’m lucky enough that I am able to work and travel with my condition- and often go to London, Birmingham or Stratford-Upon-Avon for work events or for a change of scenery. Being freelance and working from home means those trips are so vital for socialising and getting out of the house, yet they can cause so much panic when you don’t know where the nearest toilet is.
The Public Loo Problem
Last week, I took a trip to my nearest town, Stratford-Upon-Avon to see Mama Mia. There are not many public toilets in Stratford-Upon-Avon but there is one just by the riverside that you have to pay for. As I walked past, I couldn’t believe my eyes: it had suddenly been closed!
The ONLY toilet I knew I could rely on in the city was locked up- despite it only just being 6 pm. This is a toilet that I’ve visited (and dashed to!) many times of an evening; I have no idea if it’s a change of opening hours or the location has just been shut-either way it perfectly illustrated the problem I wanted to talk about today.
Yes, I am smiling whilst posing next to a public toilet. The irony of finding a *closed* public toilet, in the middle of working on a blog post about the public loo crisis was laughable. Thankfully, I didn’t need the loo at the time-or the look on my face would have been very different!
As well as my experience yesterday, London and Birmingham are particularly terrible for this. Other than at train stations (where you have to pay 30p to enter), I’ve NEVER seen a council-led public toilet in these two places. There are two separate issues here. One is that the ’30p’ entrance charge can cause real problems. Putting aside the fact that not everyone can afford this, there is nothing more stressful than desperately rooting for change whilst your stomach is grumbling. And if you don’t have it? Well, you’re left to find another option…
You might think there’s plenty of cafes and restaurants in both of these places and you’d be right. But many now refuse to let people use their toilets if they’re not paying customers. One of the worst for this, in my opinion, is Starbucks. Entry to the toilet is not allowed unless you’ve purchased something and then used the code on the receipt.
In my particular Birmingham branch, the code has to be entered in a particular way (by pressing two numbers simultaneous and turning at the same the time!) and I still have flashbacks to a time that my husband bought a latte just so I could use the loo and I was sweating profusely whilst my stomach was cramping and I *still* couldn’t get that damn door open!!!
Whilst restaurants might think they’re simply being savvy, the impact of not having a toilet close to hand can be severe. Many of us are already anxious about leaving the house some days (what with worrying about a flare-up, finding food to eat and managing fatigue) and this just exacerbates the problem. It’s no exaggeration to say that for some, the lack of public toilets can lead to isolation and low moods-causing us to cancel plans and stay at home *just in case*.
So, what can be done about it? A few weeks ago, bleach brand Domestos got in touch with me; asking me to be an ambassador for their #UseOurLoos campaign. I’ve been incredibly excited about this as to be able to use my voice to raise awareness of such an important topic is really an honour. I feel so passionately about this campaign and I hope you will get behind it too!
What is the #UseOurLoos campaign?
Domestos believe everyone should have access to clean, safe loos when out and about. Yet, in the last two decades, the number of public toilets has declined by nearly 40%. That figure does not shock me in the slightest-and whilst large shopping venues may have access to loos; high streets and other areas simply do not. Thinking of my last trip to London, I don’t think I *ever* saw a public toilet in use.
The campaign is simple:lets encourage cafe, restaurants and other venues to ‘free up’ their loos to members of the public.
Not only would this mean increased footfall for them (and glowing reviews from those of us with gut issues) but it would help increase the number of public toilets in communities and literally change the lives of many of us living with digestive conditions.
Domestos is currently trialling this scheme with Milton Keynes since shockingly, there are currently no public council toilets in the city! High street cafes and eating establishments can display a simple ‘Use our Loos’ sticker of solidarity to show they’re on board with the scheme.
Locals who see the sign will know that they can visit the place with confidence. It really is that simple, but can you imagine what a difference that can make to many of us?
This scheme is so important for many people and I’d love you to get behind and get involved too.
How can you help?
The best thing to raise awareness is to get talking. If you’re in Milton Keynes, now’s the perfect time to mention it the next time you frequent any kind of venue with a toilet. Encourage them to get involved and show their support for those of us who struggle with invisible conditions!
However, we can all join in, wherever our location. Domestos is asking everyone to share their experiences of living with lack of public council loos, how it impacts your life and the change you’d like to see in your area with the #UseOurLoos campaign on twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If you’ve ever experienced that mad search for a toilet, the awkwardness as you attempt to sneak into a venue unseen or the fear of going out due to lack of public loos, please do take a second to get involved as this campaign could really make a huge difference to many of our lives!
This post is in collaboration with Domestos to raise awareness of their new #UseOurLoos campaign.
also can we mention the loud air dryers? they’re just annoying, hardly dry you off, just move water down your arms and hands, also they spread more germs. Also how sometimes there’s no soap or paper towels (if they do use paper towels instead of the hand dryers)
so true!!
When you flush, all that bacteria is pushed up into the air from the bowl.” Well, we wouldn’t have that problem if public toilets just had regular lids on them.