Very Normal People Pee

A number of articles have come out of the UK this week about various Community Toilet Schemes.

The scheme was initially trialled in Surrey, with the local council paying £600 to pubs and businesses to allow passers-by to use their facilities. The Publican reports that the scheme has been generally successful. Frank Dupree, from the Cabbage Patch in Twickenham, says, "I’d recommended it to other licensees, it’s generally brought in very normal people who have been caught short."

Other councils interested in or trialling the scheme are the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Camden and Three Rivers.

Of course, the Community Toilet Scheme only helps people who are out and about during regular opening hours. It wasn't any use to Sam Jordison who found himself without a pot to piss in at Shepherd's Bush. In his article in the Guardian today he claims that "over the last 10 years, the number of public toilets in the UK has been cut by more than half." That's a staggering statistic considering that the UK population, and hence the number of people needing to use public toilets, has increased by 0.9% per year.

Still, it's a step in the right direction and will benefit streets, smells, shops and shoppers. And shitters.