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AIBU?

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Original poster

I just found out about this???

188 replies

PonyPals · 04/03/2025 09:21

To all the UK Mners. Is it true you have to pay to use the public bathrooms??

OP posts:
meganorks · 04/03/2025 13:20

Maybe OP means those funny booths in the street? Has anyone ever used one of those though?! I remember hearing horror stories (all rumour I think!) of doors opening when you are in them or them going on a wash cycle and trapping you in!

Grammarnut · 04/03/2025 13:16

Anonym00se · 04/03/2025 09:29

Yes, sometimes. There are very, very few public toilets in my area now. The usual thing is to sneak into a pub or cafe and use theirs. Sometimes you have to buy something to get a code. Some train stations still have free toilets but the mainline ones usually charge.

It’s not just the UK, it’s similar in tourist areas across Europe.

And it is sexist because women need safe facilities since we have to undress partially even if only to urinate. Clean, safe public toilets are one of the main ways in which twentieth century women were freed to take their place in the public sphere.

ginasevern · 04/03/2025 13:12

I live in Bristol and I can't think of a single public loo that hasn't been boarded up or turned into a cafe.

Grammarnut · 04/03/2025 13:09

No. Unless you are in Windermere, which have turnstiles and it's 50p each - sexist since women cannot go and pee up a tree, but men can. Oh, think it's 20p in Lytham St Anne's. Probably to keep out the riff-raff!🤔

LIZS · 04/03/2025 13:05

Mainline stations don't usually charge now, likewise motorway service stations and shopping centres. Those provided by councils such as on seafronts and carparks, on private land or in the countryside might. Cafes, pubs etc usually require you to be a customer.

Tigergirl80 · 04/03/2025 13:02

x2boys · 04/03/2025 10:13

You can buy them on amazon for a couple of quid.

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Yes you can but should only buy them if you really need one. I had one given to me off the local disability association for ds and ds who do have disabilities. But I wouldn’t use it when they’re not with me. That wouldn’t be fair if a genuinely disabled person has to wait for me to use it.

oldmanandtheangel · 04/03/2025 12:58

Not once have I paid in Australia.
Villnius on the other hand... couldn't find a single 'free' toilet so always made sure had coins on me

TooBored1 · 04/03/2025 12:57

I've noticed it happening more and more but far more worrying is the mass closing of toilets.

In the south west, many of the public toilets in the city are pay. As with many in high traffic areas, like the beaches.

Went to Whitby recently and had to pay to use the public loo but didn't in York.

oldmanandtheangel · 04/03/2025 12:57

I often pay when in the Cotswolds. Just tap your card.. much easier as I never have coins. Same in London and a few in Cornwall. Wouldn't say they were very clean though.

PickledOnionOverdose · 04/03/2025 12:54

TabloidFootprints · 04/03/2025 11:29

You used to have to pay at Liverpool Street - 20p I think - but you don't now. They still play weird birdsong on a loop though.
The only one I know of where you have to pay near me is at Frinton on Sea. "Harwich for the Continent, Frinton for the incontinent" as they used to say.

I have been in toilets where they play birdsong. I quite like it. We call them the bird toilet.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 04/03/2025 12:53

The facilities are so much better in Australia, toilets everywhere, no charge and very, very clean...even on fairly remote roads.

I miss it

Deathraystare · 04/03/2025 12:50

hAMMERSMITH TUBE STATION , YES. 50P AND THEY TAKE CARD PAYMENTS!!!

Sorry had caps on!!

Cakeandusername · 04/03/2025 12:48

Floatlikeafeather2 · 04/03/2025 12:07

How long ago was that? All toilets in Bowness and Windermere are card only and have been for a while. 60p.

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Yes it was card only this weekend. I saw a male teen weeing in car park to presumably avoid the charge so that is risk of charging.

FarmGirl78 · 04/03/2025 12:41

I think I've paid maybe once in the past 10 years. It's usually railway stations or town centres.

Restaurants, pubs, hotels, venues for events, parties, workplaces etc are all free.

hennybeans · 04/03/2025 12:41

I paid £2 to use the toilet in Covent Garden last summer. Dh queried the credit card statement because he couldn't think what I'd buy for £2 in Covent Garden - not enough for coffee!

In our town the public toilets used be 20p, but they demolished them before COVID and now there are none anywhere.

AllTheChaos · 04/03/2025 12:39

Imbusytodaysorry · 04/03/2025 10:44

@PonyPals genuine question how have you never herd or came across this?
Does your village /town not have public toilets or charge and you don’t go anywhere other than where you live ?

Op mentions being in Australia, so I guess it’s different there?

Tigergirl80 · 04/03/2025 12:36

VickyEadieofThigh · 04/03/2025 09:56

I used to live in Greece and this was/is definitely a feature. The worst were the disgusting women's toilets at the Athens bus station serving the |Peloponnese, where an absolute dragon of a woman insisted you pay at least a Euro, handed over two sheets of bog paper and then you entered one of those old-fashioned, 'squat' toilets. And the whole place was filthy. A friend of mine who speaks fluent Greek was conned into handing over TWO Euros (I told her she had no excuse for not arguing the case).

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Paris toilets were the same absolutely stunk of💩💩💩. I’m not sure if we had to pay. We didn’t stick around to find out. No toilet on trains either had to cross our legs going back to Euro Disney. Luckily I had better bladder control back then.

Cakeandusername · 04/03/2025 12:34

It depends. 60p in Lake District council toilets this weekend.

ALoversConcerto · 04/03/2025 12:33

It's also unlawful for a business to refuse to allow someone who is pregnant or who has a health issue to use their toilet. That said I try to be polite and buy something if I need the loo in a cafe or pub. They do need the revenue. I also have a can't wait card as incontinence both kinds is an issue for me which means I can show it to people in a queue. Anyone can apply for one from the bladder and bowel foundation.

ALoversConcerto · 04/03/2025 12:29

Timeistightagain · 04/03/2025 09:39

I know the toilet facilities at Glagow Central and Edinburgh Waverley stations are free to use, which is good.

But the worrying trend round where I live is that the local authority toilet facilities can only be accessed if you have a bank card to pay the fee. They don't accept cash payment at all. I think that's so discriminatory.
I know there is a Disabled key that people with disability can apply for to use the specialist toilet facilities but I don't know anything about it - whether it's free , what the criteria is etc.

I have a RADAR key because of disability . I think you used to apply for them via the council, but I got mine from an accessibility (disability aids shop) near me. I paid £5 for nine but that was a few years back and if you give your details and state you 're disabled you don't have to pay VAT. I was surprised by this as why would someone buy one if they were able bodied and the salesperson said that sometimes it's elderly people who find they need them for age related needs, and they don't necessarily identify as disabled.

AdoraBell · 04/03/2025 12:27

Depends on the location. In our local town no, but we went to a seaside town last weekend and it was a 30p charge.

SwanOfThoseThings · 04/03/2025 12:27

It tends to be more common in touristy areas in my experience. I went to several seaside places last year that were charging 40p.

On one hand it's annoying but on the other hand, it probably deters vandals.

Lovelysummerdays · 04/03/2025 12:27

Where I am the paid for toilets are manned so constantly being cleaned.

Tigergirl80 · 04/03/2025 12:27

Middlechild3 · 04/03/2025 10:12

In some, that's why people sometimes use the phrase 'I've got to spend a Penny' meaning they need the loo. It's a bit more expensive now, big train stations, tourist areas like Covent garden etc toilets charge. Most public toilets outside these areas are free to use.

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I remember the 2p slots in the doors to open them. Not seen them for years.

Tigergirl80 · 04/03/2025 12:23

cramptramp · 04/03/2025 11:10

I'd rather pay to use a clean toilet than go into a skanky free one.

Even the cleanest of toilets people can leave them in a disgusting state.

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