CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Public Toilets

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  1. tk
    Member

    Looks like the council are about to close half their remaining public toilets. This is after closing quite a few already and losing all the automated toilets as they were funded on a discontinued advertising contract.

    Portobello seems to be the worst affected with all three toilets earmarked for closure. This is a huge problem for the city but a big issue for cyclists passing along this popular route, particularly those on Bath St and at the sewage pumping station on the Joppa end of the prom.

    Portobello community council have a survey up about this and it would be great if you can comment in the hope we can save the toilets

    http://www.portobellocc.org/loos.php

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. Instography
    Member

    Does Edinburgh not come to some arrangement with pubs and hotels? Fife does. The pub in Limekilns is paid (probably quite a small amount) by Fife Council to let non-customers use its toilets and it's signposted. I'm sure it works well for the pub.

    Public toilets are disproportionately expensive to maintain at any kind of acceptable standard.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. Instography
    Member

    ?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. crowriver
    Member

    This will be a dreadful problem in the summertime on Porty beach. Where will all the folk go to the loo for goodness' sake?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. amir
    Member

    Public toilets are undervalued but important.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. gembo
    Member

    Read an interesting book on public toilets in my undergrad sociology class. It did not focus on the purpose for which the toilets were built. You would have thought I would have remembered about this when I unwittingly went to have a look round calton Cemetry a bit too close to dusk when I moved through to edinburgh for post grad classes. Swift exit back on to main road, no harm done.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. le_soigneur
    Member

    @gembo It wouldn't need to be too close to dusk at the Haymarket toilets to get the same realisation. Though Calton scores double points for "cottaging" with it being a cemetry as well.
    Reading the WW1 gravestones at Warriston can also lead to sights that make it unsuitable to family educational walks.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Ah yes, Haymarket. I always thought the term 'willy watcher' was a juvenile invention until my first visit there for a leak.

    What actually happens in Calton cemetery? I know to avoid it, but I don't really know why.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. crowriver
    Member

    "What actually happens in Calton cemetery? "

    I have never conducted field research on the topic. I tell a lie actually, I was thinking of the Western end of Regent Road Park, further east along Regent Road, to which the comments below relate. As for Calton cemetery, I did once sneak in there with a woman I was seeing, some years ago, on a summer's evening, after dark. Other than that, modesty insists I shan't comment further.

    However I have noticed a preponderence of single men in parked cars nearby (to Regent Road Park) on Regent Road of an evening, gazing at passing male pedestrians with some kind of intent in mind. Occasionally one will get out of the car and 'go for a walk' in the wee vennel there.

    I think unless you really want to experience all that at first hand, then best to take hearsay accounts at face value and leave the rest to the imagination.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. cb
    Member

    Another public toilet thread

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lothian-buses-could-fund-community-toilets-1-3684324

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. Fountainbridge
    Member

    Why not create a new "section 75" type clause in to planning permission to say large developments must have some form of external fully accessible public toilets? Developer to maintain them as long as the properties are populated.

    Examples could be Morrison Street / Haymarket development, St James Centre, Caltongate, etc etc

    Posted 9 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/ten-public-toilets-to-be-axed-1-3743375

    Posted 9 years ago #

  14. amir
    Member

    Eek - hope POP isn't too cold!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  15. threefromleith
    Member

    @amir You may have to take an empty bidon with you. Just don't confuse it with your drinking one on the way home... ;-)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  16. tk
    Member

    Shame to lose the Joppa toilet - that was always one of the best when cycling out to East Lothian with plenty of place to lock bikes up. Likewise the Granton one came in handy for Cramond trips

    Posted 9 years ago #

  17. unhurt
    Member

    Grrr. Lack of public loos is a pretty serious public sphere accessibity issue for the elderly, people (generally women) with small children in tow, folk with medical conditions/some disabilities and indeed anyone who has a small bladder/doesn't want to pee in an alley. And disproportionately affects people who can't afford to buy a coffee every time they need the bathroom (which is a bit of a self-perpetuating problem tbh!).

    ...I have a lot of strong feelings about public toilets!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    From link -

    "

    A consultation exercise will now take place to identify up to ten toilets which will close amid moves to slice £67 million from the city’s budget.

    The shortlist was put together after Edinburgh’s 29 public conveniences were assessed for condition, usage and accessibility.

    It was originally feared as many as 20 could shut as part of a proposed £600,000 savings drive – but this was halved during the 2015-16 budget negotiations.

    "

    Will be interesting to see what "consultation" consist of.

    Needs some sort of assessment of what other toilets are available nearby with out having to buy food/drink.

    Need a new campaign -

    Cyclists for conveniences?

    Peeple for PTs?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  19. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Cyclists for conveniences?

    Peeple for PTs?

    "Wilmington's Cows for W.C.s"

    Posted 9 years ago #

  20. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Cyclists for the Reintroduction of Approved Public Pee Evacuation Recepticles

    Posted 9 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The public consultation will close on May 25. To sign the petition visit http://www.mikecrockart.org.uk/save_our_public_toilets.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/petition-launched-to-fight-closure-of-public-toilets-1-3745532

    Posted 9 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lothian-buses-may-save-public-toilets-facing-axe-1-3825919

    Posted 8 years ago #

  23. gembo
    Member

    Drivers often users of public loo. The eldest was only person on the bus and after while she noticed it had stopped for length of time not St bus stop. She went to investigate to find driver emerging from loo. Aw right says eldest. Never lost for banter

    Posted 8 years ago #

  24. LivM
    Member

    Bus drivers often pop into our office to use the "public" loo (I.e. Before the security gates, for the use of customers who might visit us). It's at the end of several routes so it makes sense for the driver to take a minute to make himself/herself comfortable.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/odd/councillor-urinated-in-street-after-closing-public-toilets-1-3945241

    (Not Edinburgh!)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  26. gembo
    Member

    Bursting for a pee
    Waiting for a taxi
    Down an alley
    Outside the Hamilton palais

    Posted 8 years ago #

  27. wingpig
    Member

    Someone I know says that once they were on a bus going to the end of its route, on the top deck. They might have fallen asleep, but woke when the bus had stopped. They stood and went downstairs and found the driver standing inside the bus, weeing all around the door area.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  28. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-news/politician-caught-short-in-midlothian-council-car-park-1-2705781

    Posted 8 years ago #

  29. gembo
    Member

    Seems to be a lot of it about

    Posted 8 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/public-toilets-could-be-transformed-into-cafes-wine-bars-1-4077703

    Posted 8 years ago #

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