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Concern as men 'forced to use women's public loo'

Jenny MullinJersey
BBC A man with grey hair, wearing a white chef shirt and a dark blue apron, is looking into the camera. He's standing in front of the cafe he owns, and there are two black boards on the white building wall behind him and a hatch for serving.BBC
"They look at me and say it's my fault," says cafe-owner David Walsh

The temporary closure of the men's public toilet in a Jersey park is causing men to use the women's facilities and creating difficulties for men with disabilities, people have told the BBC.

The men's loo, next to a playground in Parade Gardens, St Helier, has been closed for a number of weeks "due to a maintenance issue".

The owner of the adjoining cafe said people had been giving him "a bit of grief" about the situation, while a disability campaigner said the closure was "far, far, far from ideal" and alternative solutions should be sought.

The Parish of St Helier, which is responsible for the toilets, said it was working to resolve the issue "as quickly as possible".

A close up of a green door on a white building. It has a round blue sign on it saying 'Gentlemen' and has in white letters, with white images of a person, a baby and a wheelchair. Underneath it has a a white piece of paper, with 'OUT OF ORDER' in black font, which is taped to the door.
The closed men's public toilet includes baby-changing and disabled facilities

David Walsh, whose cafe is attached to the toilet block, said some men had been forced to take their children into the women's facilities.

"We've had a few disgruntled fathers, mainly, because they have used the ladies toilets with their children," said Walsh.

"Sometimes people look down at a man walking out of the ladies' toilets with a little child, saying, 'you shouldn't be in there'."

He said the situation had been affecting his work.

"It takes us out of our flow during business. They look at me and say it's my fault and they give me a bit of grief, and it's nothing to do with me at the end of the day. I just run the kiosk, I don't run the toilets."

A man with white hair and a checked green and white shirt is looking into the camera. Behind him there are trees and some tarmac and grass.
Disability campaigner Jim Hopley said the loos would be in quite high demand for disabled people

The cafe and toilet block are positioned between a children's playground and a disabled parking bay.

"It's (the toilet block) a facility that would be in quite high demand for disabled people and able-bodied people and people with children," said Jim Hopley, the honorary chairman of the Jersey Disability Partnership.

After spending time in the area, he said he had noticed "a couple of people" attempt to enter the men's toilet, before turning away "in frustration".

He said: "A wheelchair won't fit into a normal loo, so if you leave here and go off to another destination, Sand Street being a classic, you need a pass key to get into the disabled toilet there."

A woman with fair hair, tied back and white sunglasses on her head, is looking into the camera and smiling. It's sunny and there are green playground facilities behind her including a climbing frame and a swing. There are trees in the background.
"It's not great from a child protection point of view" said mum Michelle Vibert

Michelle Vibert, who has two young children and was using the playground, said: "Having a toddler, they need the toilet quite frequently.

"It's not great, because if you've got youngsters and they need changing or they have an accident, there's not really anywhere to get them changed," she said.

Asked how she felt about men using the women's facilities, she said: "It's a bit of a sticky situation.

"I think having little ones, it's just not great from a child protection point of view.

"They should be kept separate."

A head and shoulders photo of man wearing a white baseball hat and glasses, who is looking into the camera. He's sitting on a brown wooden bench and there is grass and a metal fence behind him, and some trees and cars beyond that. It's a bright day and the sun is shining on his face. He's wearing a navy blue jumper with a zip at the top, zipped down, with a black t-shirt underneath.
Ian Hornby said there were no facilities available in Parade Gardens which men could use with children

Ian Hornby, who was taking his grandchild to the playground, said the closure of the men's toilet was "a bit inconvenient".

"I think it should be open or repaired a lot more," he said.

"There's so many people in this play area, men and women.

"I think they should be prioritised."

The Parish of St Helier said: "The male toilet has been closed at Parade Gardens for a number of weeks due to a maintenance issue with the lock.

"We have been trying to secure a suitable replacement, but have been facing some issues with supply."

The parish reiterated the female toilet, which included disabled facilities, remained open.

"We are doing our best to get the issue resolved as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused," it said.

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