An in convenience truth
April 1st 2008 Public toilets are increasingly coming under the remit of the private sector, with
authorites persuading shops, restaurants and pubs to let the public use their facilities.
BICSc's Colin Hasson says demand for training increase as a result
In recent years the condition and availability of local authority toilets
has always been a concern.Apart from a good deal of grumbling –
and some splendid efforts by the British Toilet Association to
persuade councils and government to tackle the problem – very little
has been done.
There have been some misguided efforts to improve the situation.
Laws were passed to make councils keep toilets clean on an ongoing
basis 24/7 giving the citizen the right to bring action if this was not
done.Within the privacy of the cubicles nefarious and unpleasant
customs appeared and they became a haven for drug injection. Special
lighting was fitted in an attempt to prevent the practice, which simply
drove it elsewhere.
Councils under pressure from citizens most of whose council tax has
doubled in ten years found the regular cleaning and maintenance of
toilets a bridge too far.Some farmed out the work to private companies
but found that the cost did not fall as had been mistakenly hoped.
Maintenance became more expensive as vandalism increased.
Many councils found a drastic solution.They closed the facilities.This
led to the use of alternatives such as front gardens, lifts or car parks.
Elderly citizens brought up in a former age did not follow this example
but their plight did not concern the authorities.
Suddenly the government has become aware of the problem under
its nose.Their answer? To increase private sector involvement by
persuading them to permit the public to use facilities in shops,
restaurants, public houses and other suitable premises.
Given that companies take to the idea the scheme will at least stop
the citizen making covert use of private facilities as at present without
the charade of waiting for a mythical friend or purchasing a tonic water
or muffin to obtain blessed relief. But it must not mean that toilets on
private commercial premises become as most of the remaining public
facilities; unattractive,unhygienic, and often unusable.
Even without the intervention of the dead hand of authority this is
clearly the way forward and one hopes commercial organisations give a
positive response.Changes are needed in two respects.The property
owner or tenant will expect to be able to charge and cleaning will need
to be maintained of a high standard.
Operatives in this most basic of tasks must be properly trained. It is
significant the British Institute of Cleaning Science is already reporting
an increased demand for their Sanitary Cleaning Proficiency Certificate.
Let us hope the initiative succeeds but it will need the cooperation
not only of the providers but of the general public some of whose habits
have helped to create the present situation.
Details of the SCPC mentioned
from BICSc at info@bics.org.uk More articles from British Institute of Cleaning Science: | 
