'I'm a cafe owner, not a toilet attendant'

A cafe owner is "sick to death" of being abused because she will not let people use her loo unless they are customers.

Sarah Camfield, of Sarah's Family Dining, Scunthorpe, says she has been sworn at and spat on, and has had a plant thrown at her after she put a code on the toilet door.

She said people went into the cafe to use the loo because there were too few public facilities in the town.

Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said there were about half a dozen free public toilets in the High Street area, but he accepted they could be signposted better.

Camfield said genuine customers were given the door code printed on their receipts.

People with disabilities, pregnant women, young children or those with access or "Just Can't Wait" cards were also welcome to use the toilet.

But she said some people had no "common sense", with one man visiting her cafe while carrying a coffee bought from a chain outlet and expecting to use her toilet.

"It's a real big problem on a daily basis," she said.

"We've already had one in this morning, effing and jeffing at us.

"I'm ready for throwing the towel in, because I'm sick of the abuse."

Camfield said she was spending more than £150 a week keeping the facilities clean.

The nearest public loos are in the town's indoor market, but it is closed on Mondays.

She said the council had made her "jump through hoops" to provide the right facilities for her customers but it was not doing the same by having insufficient public toilets in the area.

Catering assistant Amy Barnard said non-customers attempting to use the loo in the cafe had shouted and sworn, and it had been "quite intimidating".

"They shouldn't be coming to abuse us. We're just doing our job."

Joanne and Abi Frobisher, who work nearby, agreed that the lack of facilities was a problem.

"People come in our shop and ask if we've got a toilet as well," said Abi.

According to North Lincolnshire Council's website, it operates three public conveniences and a changing places facility in the town centre, although one is open only to customers of the Parishes car park.

However, Waltham said there were "quite a lot" of toilets in town, including in public buildings such as the library and 20-21 Visual Arts Centre.

"We clearly need to signpost them better," he added.

Waltham accepted the toilets were not all open all the time, and said the council was trying to improve that.

It was also considering whether loos could be added during a revamp of the bus station.

Camfield said she just wanted to "serve the nice people of Scunthorpe".

"I didn't sign up for being a toilet attendant. I signed up for having a cafe," she said.

"It's the rudeness and the righteousness of people who just think they can walk in.

"Would I walk into your house and barge in your toilet?"

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look Northor tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices