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Original poster

To be cross at Costa coffee not letting me go to the loo?

356 replies

Treatedlikeamaid · 20/10/2020 15:23

I think of all the money I’ve spent in Costa and just now I nipped into a branch, it was empty. I asked if I could use the loo and the young man serving told me not if I wasn’t going to buy anything. I mean..it was empty! I’ve spent 100s in there over the years. ! I’m a lady of a certain age when we need the loo, we need the loo! I’m irrationally angry and then got all embarrassed and tearful. Not pleasant at all. It wouldn’t have cost Costa anything to show a bit of consideration. Humph!

OP posts:
LakieLady · 21/10/2020 07:22

People piss in the streets because they're disgusting

Sometimes, people piss in the street because their only alternative is to piss in their pants.

KatherineJaneway · 21/10/2020 07:38

Like pp, my local Costa has a code on the toilet door. No purchase, no toilet use.

God flashback to when I was in early pregnancy ordering food from a very expensive cafe bakery and suddenly needed the loo urgently to be sick “no the toilets are not for customers they are for staff use only” I was told smugly. They regretted that decision....

It's likely they did not have insurance to cover the public using their bathroom.

LakieLady · 21/10/2020 07:40

I think that, when councils give change of use or planning consent for cafes, bars etc, they should make it a condition that the toilets on the premises are available for public use when the premises are open, and not just restricted to customers.

Companies like Costa make a fucking fortune out of selling overpriced coffee, the least they can do is do something that benefits the community.

lovemelongtime · 21/10/2020 07:54

All these people saying just walk in and use it have obvs not been to many of these places which in our city all have key pads and you need a code. I am hard faced re using toilets anywhere but lots you do need to go and ask for the code

flaviaritt · 21/10/2020 07:57

LakieLady

So now Costa wouldn’t be able to say no to drug use, prostitution, people sleeping in their loos? Really?

Eckhart · 21/10/2020 07:58

@turnthebiglightoff

Piss on their floor. Clearly not many of you have ever needed the toilet urgently. God forbid any of you get IBS, you'd be shitting yourselves on the floor too

Speak for yourself. People with IBS can buy a coffee/cake in a cafe in order to use the toilets just as well as people without IBS. As a matter of interest, do you follow your own advice? When's the last time you were turned away from a toilet belonging to a business, and pissed on their floor?

Never? Thought so.

Eckhart · 21/10/2020 08:02

Companies like Costa make a fucking fortune out of selling overpriced coffee, the least they can do is do something that benefits the community

Why do you think that a business that's doing well has to provide toilets for the public? What's it got to do with them? Do you think Barclays should? Kwikfit? Co Op? Carpetright? Argos?

ChessieFL · 21/10/2020 08:58

Those saying just walk in anyway - both Costas in my town currently have people on the door managing the queues and checking if you want sit in or takeaway and directing you to the right place. You wouldn’t be able to just walk in and use the loo without asking.

I do see both points of view. It’s awful when you need the loo and there aren’t any available. However I do sympathise with cafe owners. They could well get hundreds of non customers a day asking to use the loo without buying something. That does cost them money (loo roll, hot water, additional cleaning) and many people won’t leave the toilets in a nice state. You can’t always tell from what someone looks like what state they will leave the toilet in - I’ve seen many threads on here from those working in hospitality/retail with stories of smart looking people leaving toilets or changing rooms in disgusting states. The toilet is then unavailable for the customers.

You know you will leave it clean, but they don’t know that so it’s easier for them to refuse non customers.

Customers may still leave it in a state, but at least they will have made a bit of money to help cover the cleaning costs.

And in covid times they have to be even more careful how many people are on the premises and letting lots of people in just to use the loo won’t help.

BubblyBarbara · 21/10/2020 09:02

If you have a Costa card just flash that as you go in.

BubblyBarbara · 21/10/2020 09:03

I mean obviously you have a Costa card what with being such a high roller and all

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/10/2020 09:14

@LakieLady

I think that, when councils give change of use or planning consent for cafes, bars etc, they should make it a condition that the toilets on the premises are available for public use when the premises are open, and not just restricted to customers.

Companies like Costa make a fucking fortune out of selling overpriced coffee, the least they can do is do something that benefits the community.

Or. Or! Radical idea. Councils should build the toilets. 👀
SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/10/2020 09:17

Customers may still leave it in a state, but at least they will have made a bit of money to help cover the cleaning costs.

From my experience customers VERY rarely leave it in a state (I am talking cafes and restaurants not bars and similar). It's not about the cost really. It's genuinely more about the fact that non customers are considerably more likely to leave it a mess. Especially families with kids in my experience. Sorry.

BakewellGin1 · 21/10/2020 09:24

I have a muscle damage both to my bladder and bowel following a difficult birth last year. I totally get the desperation and no way could I queue for a coffee first.

I do occasionally buy one afterwards but I never ask to use the toilet first I just go

popcornlover · 21/10/2020 09:25

Women should be more open about pissing on the street like men. We have to put up with the sight of that, why not the other way round? Can you imagine the reactions...

flaviaritt · 21/10/2020 09:26

I do occasionally buy one afterwards but I never ask to use the toilet first I just go

Why occasionally?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/10/2020 09:30

The only people I see pissing on a street are wasted. And women don't seem to have any problem with it too in that case.

MorrisZapp · 21/10/2020 09:33

Think about it. If you were planning to order a coffee, or go find your friend in there but just needed to pee first you'd crack on and pee without asking permission.

Do that.

CounsellorTroi · 21/10/2020 09:36

If the place was quiet, I would buy something then tell them I was going to use the loo and could I just leave it on the counter for a minute.

Those saying these places are open to the public and not just paying customers - would you be ok with non paying customers using the chairs for a nice sit down because they’re tired? Or to hold a group meeting?

KenDodd · 21/10/2020 09:38

It's just plain mean.

I hope you have posted on their Twitter feed OP.
And make sure you NEVER use them again.

canigooutyet · 21/10/2020 09:43

I've pissed in the street quite a few times over the years, none were because I was wasted. When my bladder is really playing up, I either use incontinence pads or stay home. On a bad day I'm peeing every 15 minutes (kidney and bladder damage from surgery)

VinylDetective · 21/10/2020 09:45

Councils should build the toilets. 👀

Of course they should. Because we all know that, after a decade of austerity and funding losses of millions of £, they’re all rolling in money. Spot on Lakie.

Eckhart · 21/10/2020 09:48

Isn't being skint also known as not having a pot to piss in, @VinylDetective? Looks like that's where the local councils are at...

SchrodingersImmigrant · 21/10/2020 09:53

@VinylDetective

Councils should build the toilets. 👀

Of course they should. Because we all know that, after a decade of austerity and funding losses of millions of £, they’re all rolling in money. Spot on Lakie.

Our austerity hit council somehow still manages to have a good number of toilets in a city. Though people are not bothered to find them...
CleverCatty · 21/10/2020 09:56

@flaviaritt

Who asks to use a toilet?!

People with manners who aren’t horribly entitled.

Exactly.

If I want to use their toilet I always ask to buy something beforehand and if necessary pay for it then.

Shows some manners rather than just waltzing in and using it. And yes, even in cafes with key pad locks etc I've seen people leave toilets there in a state which is also disgusting.

VinylDetective · 21/10/2020 10:00

Our austerity hit council somehow still manages to have a good number of toilets in a city. Though people are not bothered to find them...

Well that’s good because there are literally no public loos where I live. There are, however, two Costas, neither of which lock their loos.

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