Toilets in shops

[BettyBoozle]

Throughout lockdown I've been very wary about the closure of public toilets. Obviously in the beginning we couldn't go out anyway but as lockdown had been eased I've been disappointed by the delay in opening public toilets. As someone with ibs and young kids who need a wee everytime we go anywhere, I kind of rely on knowing there will be a loo close by. Luckily a lot of public conveniences are reopening now but aibu to think it's a bit rubbish of stores who previously offered customer toilets to continue to keep them closed? A couple of department stores I've visited still haven't opened their toilets and today me and dc nearly got caught short in a shop that has a toilet but is still not open despite queues and other social distancing measures being relaxed.

Isn't it a bit cheeky to expect people to come and spend money without providing them with basic facilities?

I do agree it's very limiting for people, especially those with conditions which mean they don't have much warning as to when they need to go. Thankfully the supermarkets here have kept theirs open, as have the council. I can see why places have kept them close, as they aren't legally obliged they don't want to commit to the additional work to keep them clean, but it isnt good.

Yes thankfully supermarkets have kept theirs open but when the queues at the beginning of lockdown were sometimes up to an hour long it still used to be a struggle for me. You can't just pop in. And our council owned ones are only just reopening now.

I get it's extra work but surely they will lose custom from people like me who have no choice but to avoid these places (or do very quick shops!) until they get back to normal.

They're following the guidance they've been given. It's about minimising risk. I feel for you but why do your DCs need to go when you've just gone to the shop. They should go before you leave the house

I have a bladder condition.
I can go to the loo before I leave home, then 20 have a full and bursting bladder - not always but fairly frequently.
This means I'm reluctant to go to the shops as I know I might be caught short (no council loos in my town in the centre).
It's fine, I can shop online for things I need, but it's sad because it would be nice to spend my money on the high street - I also hate the packaging/waste you get when you buy online (I don't Amazon, but you still get lots of packaging).

*20 minutes later

@patas that's why I said I feel for the OP. She has a condition too.

But it would make life easier and the queues shorter if kids weren't constantly queuing for the loo when they can go before they leave home.

I completely agree op. I understand why they had to close them when things were at their peak and all the shops were closed anyway, but I think it's probably time they opened up again!

My place of work has been absolutely slated for our toilets being closed. It's not our fault at all, we cannot open them within the guidelines, it's as simple as that. We know its rubbish, but safety is paramount.

Absolutely. DD has learning disabilities, and she always waits until the last moment before telling me she needs to go. We've still not had any days out because lots of places still haven't opened their toilets. It's getting better now, but it's been very disappointing, it's like she's (and therefore we) still under the severe lockdown restrictions.

Part of the condition of my workplace reopening is that the customer toilets have to remain closed for the time being.

I think because of my toilet issues the kids sometimes suffer a bit of anxiety about needing the loo too. Which I feel really guilty about. I always insist we all go before leaving the house but that doesn't guarantee they won't need to go again. Its usually me who needs it first though It's really hard.

I just think if the shops are ready to welcome customers back open the full facilities. I get that it's an extra job but the money it would cost to employ someone for extra cleaning could still be lost by the amount of people like me who don't feel confident enough to shop in places with no loos. There are a lot of us!

We cant have our toilets open at work either. Not only do so many of the male customers not wash their hands their hands before they hand us their money, we often single man and so theres no staff available to leave the shop floor to go clean them.

As well as keep on top of cleaning in the shop floor and serving customers.

I just think if the shops are ready to welcome customers back open the full facilities. I get that it's an extra job but the money it would cost to employ someone for extra cleaning

How would this work though ? Cleaners usually work in the morning or the afternoons befire and after opening. For a couple of hours or so. They would need to be on standby and paid for the duration of opening which in the cases of some businesses is not just 9-5 but 14/15 hour days. That's alot of money at a time where business aren't even back to full strength yet

I went to the range the other week with my mum and she panicked because she thought the toilets would be closed and she can't keep it in. Glad they were open before they asked for a clean up on aisle 4.
Lighthearted of course. But I do feel for people with bladder issues during this time.

It's not to do with the cleaning in our place of work. We cannot physically distance people, we have measured and tried every way, but it can't happen.

I’d rather have the option of an open toilet with no social distancing than no option and potentially not going. There will be many people with continence problems that would find limited access a challenge. For me, it’s much more about having small people with me. It’s yet another thing that is making it harder to take them anywhere for shopping. Ultimately it’s the retailers etc that will lose out because people like me will just go online if the hassle is too much.

I totally agree with you. I think it is a disgrace that so many places don't have their toilets open.

I have had IBS regularly throughout my adult life and I feel very anxious if I can't be certain that a toilet will be available.

I have been considering going into the nearest large town within the next week or so, but I won't be if I can't be certain that toilets will be open.

Round here the supermarkets have kept theirs open throughout, and even our local parish council reopened the public ones in our village after the first couple of weeks of lockdown.

In other places the provision has been much more patchy.

The excuse about "following guidance" is all well and good, but everything I've read has reiterated that obligations to comply with the Equalities Act are not displaced by any of this guidance.

It’s unfortunate but right now it’s a necessary safety measure. They’re not keeping them closed for shits and giggles.

I went to IKEA last week and used the toilet. They had notices about washing your hands for at least 20 seconds or thinking about 10 IKEA items. Trouble is, the taps have to be pressed to obtain the water and they only last for a couple of seconds, no way can you wash both hands together, have to keep pressing the tap.

The thing is that like the polio virus, covid19 virus can be found in poo.

They’d need to thoroughly clean every loo, taps, handles, etc, each time anyone came in to the toilets. In full PPE.

Do you really need to be out an about... there is still a pandemic, and the virus is frighteningly easy to catch.

They’d need to thoroughly clean every loo, taps, handles, etc, each time anyone came in to the toilets. In full PPE

Would this also require COSHH training too? So something staff may not have had

I'm the same I have ibs and won't really go anywhere until the toilets are open. The garden centre toilets are open at dobbies

There's a loo app that's really useful. I was happy yesterday that the loos in Mark's were open. Deserted too.

I think loos should open now and we need to take our own responsibility now with regard to personal safety

www.lockdownloo.com/