Single sex toilets for men, and mixed sex.....nothing for women only.

[centrifugal]

My local town has installed a set of public toilets; men, and mixed. Nothing for women. I called up to question it/complain, and got a man who got cross and defensive, telling me that men who 'just want to spend a penny' (they are urinals only) use them, and save adding to the queues. So, men can jump the queue, women have to wait with anyone else who wants access to the mixed loos.
Does anybody know if this is allowed? It seems so wrong.

It also puts men in a very awkward position, several elderly gentlemen were uncomfortable using the new mixed toilet and waited until the women and children were out. It leaves men in a position where they feel like they cant use facilities as they don’t want to intimidate women and or have their own health problems to deal with.

My DFather is 6ft6, late 50s, social anxiety and has bowel issues (obviously could use the accessible toilet if free) but would feel like he couldn’t use the toilets for both reasons above.

Still no reply from North Norfolk DC. Going to call on Monday, then start with a FOI request.
Interestingly, on the 'enjoy Sheringham more' Facebook page, a woman was complaining about the toilets on the prom being filthy, not sure if she meant these ones......I'm too chicken to comment.

I questioned similar on a festival chat group once, asking for female only portaloos, since there are men's urinals and mixed portaloos, but the queues are so long for women needing wee I suggested some women's only urinals as an express lane so to say... Just a few that men haven't pissed all over and stink of shit. But apparently I was being ridiculous.

What your town has done is much worse, but sadly, I think you will struggle to find local support.

Update!
Russel Tanner has finally deigned to reply to me!! He has passed my email along to the legal department, as my email contains some 'statements' that need a formal response.
Hopefully this means someone will actually have to think about it from a sensible, legal point of view rather than just anger. Still wish I'd recorded that first phone call, I think he hoped he could scare me away. All he did was poke one of a nest of vipers 🐉
Thanks for any links, and advice given on here.

centrifugal Brava

well done! Ive left Cromer for now, not back until October . The toilets were trashed when I left (not by me! I have to used the disabled), not sure they will make it through festival week tbh.

If you want to point them towards an other seaside town with better provision, I thought the loos at Perranporth were quite good. There was a room of mix sexed cubicles, a separate room of urinals, and another separate room of cubicles women only.

UPDATE: From the council, copied below.

"After careful consideration and not wishing to get drawn into a protracted discussion I intend to make one of the mixed gender cubicles on both Sheringham east promenade and Cromer west promenade ladies only. Hopefully this will address the balance with one separate Gents and one separate Ladies plus shared facilities at both locations. Hopefully you will find this outcome acceptable."

I am thrilled!! Never expected this tbh.

Oh WELL DONE!

Was expecting this to drag out for at least the rest of summer......need a new project now 😅

Well done Centrifugal 👏🏼
All without hysterical references to denying humanity too 😂

Amazing achievement!!

Fantastic news!

Very inspirational that things can be changed. Well done

Oh my well done! Will make a point of using it. Not back until October though.

Fantastic result!

So happy to read this update! Well bloody done, OP.

Can’t believe the person you originally spoke to tried to fob you off (I work in local govt taking calls too.) You should complain about him. You never know who else he put off before you. And all calls should be recorded their end, you could ask a manager to listen back to the conversation.