Cafe with seating area but no toilet??

[girlfriend44]

Went into a fairly well known chain yesterday. American.
Sat down and had food and drink . I noticed no toilets. When I asked they said there were public toilets over the road?
Found this strange? I thought all cafes etc had to have toilets I'd they served food and drink?
Am I wrong then?

Thats really annoying, we have a place near here which is the same and I have to say I am loath to go with my son again after having to dash to costa (no public toilets here).

I’m sure they need to have toilets if they have over a set number of seats. Was it quite a small place?

Some of the states I’ve seen cafe toilet left in when I go in, I’m not surprised some branches opt not to have them.

Less than 10 seats and they don't have to provide customer toilets.

They don't need to provide toilets if they have under 10 seats but also they could be contributing to the public toilets across the road and providing toilets that way. Similar to a food court in a shopping centre with shared toilet facilities

I had this recently in a shopping center type restaurant, but is an actual restaurant with way more than 10 seats. It was annoying as when the kids needed the toilet I had to go with them each time.

Have googled and it’s over 10 seats and you are supposed to have a public toilet. As someone who has cleaned public loos the problem is some people are awfully messy. Then you have to take someone away from serving in order to clean the disgusting toilet. If it’s a small place with not a lot of staff it doesn’t really make sense.

I personally wouldn’t choose to go there but I’d assume their customers are ok with it.

So you or your children don't need the toilet when you eat and drink then?

You must be special.

Dreadful. We all need the lop, even the staff.

How do you manage to figure that?

I agree with Gonna there. While cafes etc should provide toilets I’m bloody glad I’m not the one who has to clean them.

You must be new to MN; it is populated by people who would rather sever their own hand with a butter knife than use a toilet outside their own home.

Are there any other loopholes? There are a couple of small restaurants (but more like 20-30 seats than 10) here that don’t have toilets. One is about 5 min walk from Shopping Centre toilets and the other one even further from public toilets.

I don't always need the loo if I'm out eating or drinking. It's not compulsory.

I don't think that's what this post meant. Are you normally so reactionary?

😁

They will have a staff loo. Just not available to members of the public.

Just be a takeaway then, don't have seats?

Absolutely agree op

Rules may be different here (outside mainland UK) but I can think of at least 3 beach cafes with more than 10 seats inside that don't have their own toilets, but have public toilets within 50 feet or so.

Can't say it bothers me at all, but our public toilets are generally very well maintained so it's not an issue to use them. Annoying to have to go outside to them if it's cold, but not the end of the world.

Thanks for confirming about the 10 seats didn't know that.
Never been in before either.

Across a busy road too.

I always thought that as well OP and all Cafe's I have been too do have toilets.

However, McDonalds in Bromley Glades, has no toilet but there are public toilets opposite.

@girlfriend44

There's some dirty Gits about who leave toilets stinking and ends up being temporarily out of order type of thing,

There just isn't enough toilets facilities about anywhere in uk
let alone disabled toilet baby changing facilities either..

I didn't know about the 10 tables seating rule for then toilets toilets facilities are required

I don't know market traders in Swansea indoor market 🤔 coped so long not having proper toilets facilities within a few mins or 10mins if desperate for toilets,

Only recently they have installed 5 star toilets facilities in the indoor market there.

Just noticed the 10 seats thing and McDonalds has far more than 10 seats