My WI chums suggested that Battleaxe could usefully investigate publicly accessible loo provision in Hastings and St Leonards, and she has accepted the challenge. Readers, I have loo form. I am very fussy, and a posh loo afficionado. A few years ago when I was local WI President, we organised a protest about the proposed closure of the public toilets in Ore Village – and we won. They are still open. Here is the blog post about it. Battleaxe had to plead the case at a meeting of Hastings Borough Council, and she zapped ’em. So, here goes with the survey…
Wow – exciting photo! Door of the loo at Marks and Spencers, in Priory Meadow, Hastings!
So why is Battleaxe doing this? Two reasons. First, the disappearance of Council public toilets. The threat to the Ore loos was swiftly followed by the actual closure of the loo block in the centre of town. The block has been demolished, and is a derelict site. They were indeed horrible loos, but well-used. When they closed, one viable alternative was nearby Debenhams – of course, that has now gone as well. The nearest actual Council public loos are a couple of cubicles on the ground-floor of the shopping centre. I’ve never been in one, but they have a bad reputation. Battleaxe will have to hold her nose (literally, I fear) and investigate. Another loo block, down at Rockanore, was sold, and has become ‘Flushed’ an antique shop that also serves coffee. Here it is now…
The Council built a smaller block nearby with a couple of loos, but again, Battleaxe will have to visit. When local authorities close public toilets, thay palm us off by saying that we can use loos in cafes, pubs etc. That’s all very well, but increasing numbers of places are getting wise to this. They state that loos are for customers only, or even expect people to ask for a loo code. Other places are so daunting that folk wouldn’t dare go in… too posh or too rough. Then, in some places the loos have closed and there is no alternative – what are people supposed to do?
The second reason for investigating loos is the current media blather about which gender/sex of persons should be using men’s or women’s toilets. Battleaxe will say at the outset that she really doesn’t care. As long my fellow users keep themselves to themselves and don’t make a mess, I am honestly not bothered. But, given the current hysterical hoohaa, I want to see how many of our local toilets do offer safe, gender neutral spaces that anyone can feel comfortable using. Clear, simple signs, too.
BTW, American readers: Sorry guys, but toilets are not called bathrooms. Bathrooms have baths in. End of.
So, what are Battleaxe’s criteria for rating toilets?
– Accessible. Many establishments either have loos up steep flights of stairs, or way down in the basement. No problem to Battleaxe now, but a problem for many. Enough facilities for expected usage. No massive long queues.
– Tidy, clean, hygenic and non-smelly. I don’t mind loos being sluiced with water, but it must be clean water.
– Enough light, enough space and adequate ventilation. A decent room temperature – not sub-Arctic cold, or hot and foetid. Enough room in the cubicles to move about and open/close the doors. Baby changing spaces and facilities for the disabled.
– Equipment in working order and kept supplied. Loos should be non-wobbly, flush reliably, and toilet paper must be available. Running water, preferably hot. Soap or hand wash, and an efficient hand-drying system. My autistic granddaughter struggles with banks of thunderously noisy hand dryers in motorway service stations, and almost as bad are ancient dryers that just give a feeble whiff of s**t-laden smelly air. If paper towels are provided, there should be enough disposal bins. Adequate period product disposal facilities. There should be a mirror. Sorry, I don’t like seeing urinals in a shared space.
– Safe. Cubicle doors should lock firmly, and I don’t want to share loo premises with users of any gender who are perving, leering, stealing, shooting up, displaying genitals, shagging, drunk and incapable, screaming and shouting, fighting, wrecking the place or making messes.
Those are just the basics! Toilets that are adequate and useable would rate 5 on the Battleaxe scale. Those that met all the above criteria would be an 8. Only an 8? What would score higher? Loos with more privacy, comfort and individual touches. Attractive decor, cubicles with floor-to-ceiling walls and doors, handy shelves and hooks, good quality hand wash and hand cream, nice cloth towels… you know.
What would be a 10? Well, read this article from the Tatler. I’m talking highest-end luxury glamour loos. Here are two in London. The Ritz – have been in that, and Claridges – been in that too.
Of course, these places are far from gender-neutral. They are unashamedly ‘Ladies Powder Rooms.’ Sadly, gender-neutral corridors with lines of enclosed cubicles struggle to attain that level of ‘wow’ glamour. Also, sssh, whisper this, some men are prone to spray pee over the toilet bowl and on the floor. Sometimes they don’t raise the seat, sometimes they don’t put it down again. Traditionally, loos that men use are more utilitarian, wash-downable, and have urinals.
Both the above luxury toilets are in hotels. If you have enough chutzpah and the confidence to swan regally past the doorman, it is perfectly possible to use the loos in big hotels. Battleaxe’s mother would never use a public toilet, only hotels, and Battleaxe has inherited the capacity to do likewise.
Battleaxe will not be ‘going’ in loos rated 2 or less. I will bravely look at them for my research, but I would not use the facilities.
Here’s our first loo, pictured at the top, Marks and Spencer, in Hastings Priory Meadow. On the ground floor. Very accessible, but very busy. Two gender-neutral rooms/cubicles. One out-of-order when I visited. One large disability/baby/toilet space. Well-equipped, adequately clean, but faintly whiffy. Heavily used, expect queues. Insufficient facilities. Battleaxe rating 4.
I’ll add more reviews to each future blog post!
Let’s have a blessed moment of relief from sanitary facilities. Just back from a walk in the woods behind the Two Sawyers in Pett to see the bluebells, followed by a cuppa in the Tic Tocery. Lovely.
