BORIS JOHNSON is fighting for the right of free born Londoners to empty their bladders when they please by encouraging shops, pubs and restaurants to open their facilities to the general public.
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“Older people and families with young children in particular find the lack of public loos inconvenient and an incredible burden when out and about,” said the London Mayor when announcing his new policy.
Called the Community Toilet Scheme, the idea is that business owners will rake in some cash for letting desperate people take a leak.
A similar policy has been used in Richmond in south west London for three years and has been judged a success, not least by the helpful businesses, which collect £600 a year for opening their toilet doors to the general public.
Toilet provision is at the cutting edge of public policy. Last year, Westminster Council introduced a SatLav scheme where you text the word “toilet” to 80097 and receive a message naming your nearest public convenience.
The same council previously installed a toilet-cum-art gallery in St Anne’s Gardens, Wardour Street, which features regular exhibitions inside an egg-shaped bog.
