To just p*ss on the floor next time?

[peeingforbritain]

Obviously I would never do that intentionally, however...

Im 7 months pregnant and was out shopping on Saturday, and I had been the loo before I left, and when I arrived at the shopping centre.

I was in Superdrug and I literally just had to go, so I politely asked the security guard and explained I'm pregnant (even though it's very obvious) and she outright said no. That there are toilets in Asda, which is at least a 5 minute walk (10 minute waddle) away.

Let's just say it didn't end too great for me and I was mortified

Surely there's some sort of law for pregnant women to use staff toilets when shopping?

Yanbu.
I used to work in a shop. Generally we would tell people no, but children, pregnant ladies, old people etc we would let them.
I'd warn them the loo was vile though.

I worked in a shopping centre which had shared staff toilets between a number of shops in the back. It was as far to walk to as a 5 minute walk to ASDA. So it would not necessarily have been any nearer.
But sounds very embarrassing OP.

@PolkerrisBeach fair point maybe it’s worth hanging onto just in case

As pp said, those cards for bowel/bladder conditions are for places which already have customer toilets so they can be used without having to make a purchase.

Sigh. Oh Jackandrose yet another afternoon for you sitting on the sharpened stick in the poo dungeon.

Why do you not LEARN.

That would be a violation of workplace safety. Fact.

Which part? That the stairs are steep or that there are stacks of boxes in the stockroom?

@Tara336 the card is to use in shops/restaurants/cafés/pubs where the toilets are for "Customers Only" not for you to use staff toilets. I had to investigate this last year for a few people I know who have various disabilities as one was complaining he couldn't go out due to lack of public toilets.

Awful that this happened to you op

Totally understand the insurance & health and safety issues surrounding this.

Surely the reason I get asked at least once a shift when volunteering in a charity shop if a pregnant woman / young child / elderly person can use the staff loo is NOT a growing sense of entitlement to use private loos in shops or other businesses - rather a growing sense of desperation because the provision of public lavatories is so woeful.

No wonder town centres are emptying out in favour of on-line shopping!

@slashlover the stack of boxes. Companies get in trouble if they fall on staff let alone if they fall on a member of the public.

Shops are only insured for STAFF to be in STAFF areas. That includes the back shop, loos, office areas, staffrooms. If they let someone in and they tripped, or some stock fell on them, they could sue the pants off the business and probably would. Money is often counted in the offices of smaller shops, valuable items on shelves.

How does this work then when they catch a shoplifter and take them in to the offices? What if something fell on the shoplifter?

rather a growing sense of desperation because the provision of public lavatories is so woeful.

^^THIS

If there is no large supermarket or a petrol station near by then you are screwed if you need the toilet.

Jackandrose I agree.

One minute they are slogging down prosecco and having sex without protection. The next they are standing with the vicar getting the baby chistened and 'it's all about the baaaaby'. Tiresome.

I would have thought stacked boxes were a fire safety issue as opposed to anything else.

OP, I'm afraid I agree with the majority that they unfortunately couldn't have let you use the loos, but my sympathies, sounds like a horrid situation to be in.

Agree that the provision of public loos is dire, but that's a Council services issues.

As for the "what about shoplifters" thing, I would assume that it's because someone being detained until the police arrive is accompanied at all times by a member of staff, maybe two, and not left on their own.

Small shops often have just a couple of members of staff - totally impractical for one to escort a pregnant woman to the loo, wait outside the door, escort them back. And repeat. Every time a member of the public asks. And not get any actual work done as you're too busy being a toilet attendant. And who pays for all the extra cleaning needed?

@Mountainsoutofmolehills I genuinely pity people like you

The Leader of my local council thinks public loos are unnecessary.

Presumably the area in which shoplifters etc are detained would be kept clear of boxes, cash etc for that purpose. And/or I imagine that some sort of insurance might apply to those specific circumstances.

I’m sure there used to be a law, where a policeman would lend you his helmet to use if you were pregnant. Also if you have a horse and cart I think you can wee by the wheel.

YABU, it's not a shop's duty to provide public toilets so won't have the facilities and insurance, sadly.

So no stock room has any stacks of boxes ever? Cases of juice/beer etc are allowed on the shop floor as long as they are less than a certain height and secure.

does anybody know if the insurance thing is true though. wouldn't the shop have public liability insurance and that doesn't actually cover each individual area of the building. Every one I've ever had simply states the address of the insured building.
It's similar to when people trot out the line that nurseries etc. aren't insured to care for your child out of their normal working hours when of course they are.
Just interested in if anyone can point me towards a PLI which states areas covered and times

This reminds me of when I was getting my hair done in the morning for my afternoon wedding and I had had a late night with lots of wine the night before.

I really needed to go to the loo, and told the hairdresser I’d nip across the road to a pub and be back in a few minutes. The hairdresser insisted I go to the staff loos. It was grim, the light didn’t work, there wasn’t a seat, and the flush didn’t work.
I left the remains of a curry and a bottle of wine in the toilet bowl. It was absolutely grim.

Staff loos are terrible, they did you a favour!

Although my condolences for your accident. That’s not pleasant at all.

Best of luck with your pregnancy.

I wore a maternity pad for those moments from about 8months as my baby was dancing a gig in my bladder at that time, and it seemed I had to pee all the time.

I'd say do some gentle pelvic floors and plan your trip better next time. Sorry!

There's definitely a discussion to be had about the lack of public lavatories, but as PP have pointed out it's not always clearcut with staff loos in private businesses I'm afraid.