To think not opening public toilets is a mistake?

[KitKat1985]

So several open spaces near us have started to re-open (think some National Trust sites and beauty posts). Obviously cafes and shops on site remain closed, which makes sense. But I do disagree with not opening the toilets on site. I get the point is to try and discourage people from staying too long but it also means:

1. There's nowhere for people to wash their hands, which surely should be a priority.
   
2. It's really discriminatory for people who really need to be able to access a toilet at short notice and can't necessarily 'hold it' for long, such as people with certain medical issues or people with very young children.
   
3. I've heard that some people who haven't been able to 'hold it' are going for 'a quick wee in the bushes' in some of these places which is pretty poor from a hygiene point of view, at a time when surely hygiene is most important?

[ganchanaghgeiseric]

No, I just wonder why would anyone want to use public toilets in this circumstances. Even under normal circumstances, some places are filthy. And yeah, who would clean them?
I just wouldn't go somewhere like that atm.

[user1497207191]

Public toilets are usually pretty grim. Where are the councils going to find all the staff needed to clean them constantly? Perhaps we should adopt the foreign model of a person stood outside collecting money and handing out a few pieces of loo roll and a squirt of hand gel on the way out? If a council doesn't clean them almost after every use, they'd be at risk of being sued if someone caught covid from it.

[WitsEnding]

I think dumping soapy water in an AONB will cause more environmental damage than the odd pee.

Not all National Trust parks are out of town. There is a large one near the centre of the my city, one of the few open spaces I can walk to which is big enough to allow proper social distancing.

Not everyone has a car and bus services are much reduced IMO and better left to key workers.

Hello Cornwall people, most of your public toilets near me spent the winter with a sign on them "Reopening 7th March". Now the holiday season is cancelled, will you keep them closed all year?

[SavoyCabbage]

Sometimes, if you have a 'particular medical issue' you just can't do what other people can do. That person will have to stay at home where they can access the toilet so that another person won't need to be at risk.

[CMOTDibbler]

In my area, they just announced today that council run toilets are reopening as of this weekend

[RaaRaaOhLaLa]

@KitKat1985 what you could do is volunteer to clean the public toilets at these places you mention. I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated.

[Musicforsmorks]

Boris should clean these bogs.😁

Seriously though, if cleaners had PPE, and councils got their finger out, I don’t see a problem - but - I have no real idea how safe we are yet.
I can’t say.

It’s incongruous to allow long distance travel but provide no facilities at all.
And i say this as a resident of a tourist money pot.

I so so so wish we we’re back to normal. It’s sad.

[safariboot]

It's idiotic to close hand washing facilities. I remember going to Asda Perry Barr and the shopping centre toilets were closed, and the Asda security wouldn't let me in without queuing. The trollies are all outside that store. So my options were a) Queue to get in just to wash my hands, then go back out and queue again to shop, or b) Take the trolley without washing my hands first. Take a guess which option I chose.

It's also discrimination against both women and the disabled to close toilets.

[hamsterchump]

Wow the bare faced discrimination against disabled people on here is breathtaking! How far we've stepped back in just a few short months! Of course disabled people should just sit at home being "protected" and "accept they just can't do some things" like leave the house! Don't know why we ever bothered with ramps and lifts and disabled toilets and discrimination laws in the first place when the disabled should just accept their small lives. Here's a hint, disabled people don't want your disingenuous protection, they want equal rights and access and the right thinking among us think they're entitled to them. It's disgraceful that the toilets haven't been opened but it's more disgraceful that people can't even see there's a problem.

[AnotherEmma]

^THIS

[KitKat1985]

@RaaRaaOhLaLa thank you for your snide comment. Unfortunately working as a nurse during a pandemic I'm already quite busy. Although I am very familiar with dealing with bodily fluids and somehow manage to do so whilst following procedures to ensure my safety, so I can ensure these things are not impossible (do you think every hospital toilet cleaner has just stopped working too)? I could do it on my days off I suppose but it's a bit tricky what with trying to look after two young kids on my days off too (one of whom has a disability which means she has continence issues and cannot go anywhere where there isn't a toilet nearby), and is therefore directly discriminated against by toilets being shut, but thanks.

[AnotherEmma]

[KitKat1985]

^ assure you not ensure.

[gingerbreadslice]

I've noticed shit everywhere lately. Someone had a poo in the fruit aisle in Sainsbury's last week, and the next day there was one outside the shop also clearly was a humans. People keep asking our local supermarket to use the toilet but as it's small it's staff only.

[AgentProvocateur]

Every public toilet in the country where I live has at least 1 and often 2 permanent cleaners. They clean each cubicle between customers and keep the sinks and floors spotless. I’m old enough to remember when public toilets in the U.K. had a permanent attendant. I don’t think that is the case now, judging by the toilets in even the nicest of malls/restaurants.

[DahliaDay]

ugh.all that abandoned ppe....someone will have to clean that up

[helpfulperson]

So if they open the toilets presumably it would have to be cleaned between each user otherwise there would be risk of transmission on the handles, seats etc. Can you imagine the queues?

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

I totally agree with you OP, it’s discriminatory and counter productive.

[TheMotherofAllDilemmas]

Someone mentioned the other day that walkers near Richmond (NYorks) were using the river both for wee and poos.

Honestly, it is the locked bathrooms the only thing that is saving us from believing we are no longer in lock down.

[frillyfucks]

It's a shit show. They knew the country had to open up, why have council and the likes not prepared for this?

[TotorosFurryBehind]

Agreed. Realistically, people have been stuck inside for week and are going to drive places now and will need the toilet.

I have recently peed: in a car park on Dartmoor; in a car park next to the beach. It was slightly degrading but I didn't feel like I had much choice. I need to get out for walks for mental health reasons and have a weak pelvic floor post childbirth.

[KitKat1985]

@helpfulperson. I don't think they would have to be decontaminated between users, as long as users properly washed their hands after using the toilet and touching the handles, seats etc, so that their hands were clean and any contaminants washed off their hands before leaving the toilet block (and you would hope most people wash their hands after using the toilet generally anyway).

[DahliaDay]

all those going to the toilet in public places.....how are you washing your hands? disposing of t roll etc?

[Chloemol]

@KitKat1985

It’s not just a case of cleaning between certain hours. This is a virus known to stay on various surfaces for various lengths of time. Many people are asymptomatic so you won’t know if they pass the virus on or not, so really the toilets have to be cleaned after each use, and that’s deep cleaned throughout

Are you really saying a cleaner has to go in all day, with all the people using toilets who may pass it on, wearing full ppe as that’s the only way to make sure it’s not passed on? That’s unrealistic. But if you are that concerned you can volunteer to do it

People know toilets are not open so should plan accordingly I have a health problem requiring toilets urgently, so at the moment I am not visiting anywhere.

[WithIcePlease]

I've been at work through all this. Folks in my unit share a loo 🤷🏼‍♀️ and it's cleaned by the normal cleaner
I don't put my fingers in my mouth after touching the loo or flush etc
Wash hands on way out.
Undo the lock holding loo paper or use hand san
I really wonder how some people get out the house at all even in normal times
Of course they should be open