That stores have closed toilets - it's a problem isn't it?

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

I've just found myself at a large DIY store bursting to go and find they've coded customer loos. I'm lucky I can hold it but not everyone can, right?

I remember this being raised at one of the daily Covid 19 briefings from Downing Street, perhaps in May or June. I'm sure the OP will now plan to avoid this, but for those with certain medical conditions it must keep them at home more.

No, but then I do have a job where it's often 6-7 hours in between loo breaks I have a bladder of steel

We had to come home from the local park/lake area because my kid needed the bathroom. Its frustrating, but as most toilets are unmanned I guess they dont trust people to form socially distanced lines.
Our shopping centres and garden centres all have their toilets open, so it's not everywhere that's bad.

Yes its a problem for me and a lot of my female friendz/relatives. We plan our outings around the availability of toilets after about a 2 hour mark.

It's ludicrous that they do this. It's a complete overreaction and puts a lot of people off going to the shops, and then these shops will be moaning about the lack of footfall.

Not all shops are doing this, M&S stores have loos open (well the one in Bath did)

Theres a website called lockdownloo.com where people can add locations of nearest open toilets. Its been a lifesaver for me when out and about with 3 children!

That dressing rooms are also often closed is less of a problem, more of an inconvenience but I went somewhere the other day where the loos were open so people had to take clothes there to try on

It's the only reason for entering a Wetherspoon's pub...

I found when I had small kids many stores would let you use a loo if you asked - I wonder if chains have policies on this now?

I’ve been allowed to use the toilets when I’ve needed too, but they have to be locked because they have to be cleaned immediately afterwards and the staff need to know that they’ve been used to do that.

It is inconvenient and I’ve found it embarrassing to explain medical conditions etc to ask to go, but I r coped so far.

It's a problem for us. I have a bowel condition & have almost no bowel sensation until literally right before I need to go. Having to wait 45-60 minutes while I walk home (we've no car) isn't an option. I'm often housebound because of it, aside from the days I'm bedbound due to a separate issue.
DD (8) withholds. She always has. It's part of her ongoing issues, we are awaiting a diagnosis for something on the ASD spectrum. She will deny, deny, deny, until she's about to wet/crap herself, & then sometimes have a tantrum if we can't produce facilities out of thin air. She still has accidents at school, & hides it when she does it at home.
It's very unhelpful when people condescendingly say it's our fault she's put on weight during lockdown. The nearest supermarket is 2 miles away, the nearest park is 3 miles away, & there are no loos.

People just won’t adhere to social distancing restrictions in bathrooms. There were clear signs on the entrance to a small shopping centre’s toilets that only 2 people were allowed inside at once.

I was walking into a cubicle and someone else was at the sink, yet 3rd person sees us both as she opened the main door but continued to swan in - blatantly ignoring the signs. If she couldn’t have waited outside until sink lady left, 1. there are separate disabled cubicles, and 2. this shopping centre has toilets on every floor (conveniently accessible via lifts directly adjacent to the toilets.) If she actually gave a fuck about social distancing, she had options.

I did ask and was told they were closed btw

My local shopping centres and garden centres have opened theirs and so had M&S when I went a couple of weeks ago.

I agree, it is a problem, so many people can not wait to go and I always have to consider how long I will be out before I need to go.

I have a bad bladder. This has been a huge problem for me. Really huge.

Yes ! I had to come home when out shopping the other day because I ended up needing a wee and it made me think this must be a real issue for people with bladder / bowel problems etc
I don’t have , I’d just drank quite a lot of water and not really thought about the Fact it could be an issue

To be fair you can kinda assume there would be a toilet in a cafe or something but I wouldn't assume there'd be one in a shop especially a hardware store

if the toilets are shared with staff, they remain closed

if they are customer only (with staff toilets separate) they are open

makes sense

I think most cafes will only allow customers to use their toilets

@Looneytune253 my b&q have one. Makes my shopping trip less stressful when I go there

Today I've done a 4 hour round trip on only one cup of tea at breakfast. Didn't dare drink' more or on the journey in case I needed the toilet and one wasn't available. I find it more restricting than anything to have to worry about loos being closed

I agree it's ridiculous. Covid is not spread by toilets. Toilets are hygienic. Closing toilets is an excuse to do less not a pragmatic way of addressing public health risk.

I also wonder how many places will not re open them when they can. As I said my b&q have one. But I bet they never re open them

This is the reason I will only go to the supermarket and back. Won't be venturing into town to visit the shops until toilets are open again. Since having dc, if I need to go, I need to go! Haven't taken dc to a park either for this reason, as youngest dd is the same.

Yes it's a problem.

I have a problem with extremely heavy periods. I now don't leave the house for that time unless I'm certain toilets will be open. It's rubbish for my whole family really.