Public toilets

local community hub/library used by all 1 on each floor lift between ,plus free news papers. high st location .Open 9am 5am mon/fri sat am .Mac Donald's usually has one.

Lots of us would probably be happy to pay quite an extortionate fee (say 20p) to use MacDonald's (or any other place for that matter)loos when we can't find an alternative so really they are missing a trick.

Apparently MacDonald's loos are popular with homeless people who want to have a wash.

ggmarion - I witnessed something similar in Cornwall a few years ago. I was desperate for a wee so we stopped at a petrol station on a rather quiet country road,that indicated that it had a public toilet. We didn't even buy petrol,I just went in and asked to use the loo and the man behind the counter was charm itself. The toilet was spotlessly clean,and even had a vase of fresh flowers. I can honestly say it was the cleanest,nicest public loo I had ever seen. Pity there aren't more like that.

I remember that when I was young it always cost a penny to use public lavatories. I don't know when this practice ended but surely 20pence would be a reasonable amount in order to keep more public toilets open. I am now disabled and have a Radar key to use disabled ones. One I use in the car park was not locked but was used by drug takers and on one occasion I was nearly knocked over by a lad on a bike coming out. I wrote to the council and they then put a Radar lock on it. That "key in the door" syndrome happens to me when I get off my scooter to use the loo.

There used to be those 'underground' public loos, down a flight of steps, Victorian mainly and very well kept.A penny for the loo and sixpence for a 'wash and brush up'.

The last time we were in York we were shocked to find the main toilets were no more. We used the nearby M&S ones but that is just not fair to the store. Needless to say everyone else had the same idea and the queue was enormous.

I'm absolutely brazen, and will walk into any pub or restaurant, (have to be really desperate to enter McDonald's) and go straight for the loos.
Occasionally, staff members have told me on my way out that the toilets are for customers only, but it's too late when I've already 'been'

My husband had one of those cards, harrigran. He didn't often use it, but they do work. Nobody said no.

In Kendal near where I live, they have removed the charge box, no longer need to pay which is marvellous not having to always make sure 20p was available, there are lots of toilets in cafees, larger stores etc, I am at the stage in life when I always check as soon as I get to a place, Towns etc. where the loos are, then if the "key in the door" syndrome sets in, there is no panic.

Never heard of 'key in the door' syndrome but it does happen to me too at times - and I'm relieved to know it's a common occurrence.
At least it's easy to ask when you speak the lingo...
On one memorable holiday in France we stopped in a small town because I needed the loo. The public toilets were the hole-in-the-ground type, stinking and swarming with flies and made me retch - no way could I use them, desperate or not. Almost in tears and having searched elsewhere, I asked at a nearby hotel and was told brusquely 'NON!' even though they must have seen my distress. I finally found another hotel where I was treated kindly and shown beautifully clean toilets to use - I was so grateful I thanked the receptionist profusely in my rubbish French and explained I'd been turned away from another place.
I didn't find it easy to locate public loos in France - it's my main worry whenever we go abroad anywhere, but in Italy, for some reason, it was far easier and people seemed more accommodating.

Years ago, when I was a child, my mother bought me a copy of The Good Loo Guide. I loved that book.Henceforward we always graded public toilets in 'stars'. Wonder whether it's still in print?

I hadn't heard the expression 'key in the door' to describe this. My doctor called it 'stress incontinence'. My mother taught us to go to a hotel to use the toilets if one was available as they were usually clean and well looked after. I still follow that advice. I also nip into bars, stores etc. I don't feel guilty about it as we usually spend money in those places anyway over the course of a year.
One very good tip I got from the medics which I use to this day to strengthen the bladder muscles is this:
I was advised that every time you go for a wee, once you are on the loo, tighten your bladder muscles and count to 5 before you allow your bladder to go. Then increase it gradually to 10, 15, 20 etc as the muscle gets stronger. As you are already on the loo it doesn't matter if you don't last the full initial 5. You will eventually recondition your bladder to obey you. Be advised though, it doesn't happen overnight and can takes months to retrain but you do get improvements.
You can also get plastic, removable inserts a bit like a tampon to make you tighten the muscles by holding them in as you go about your housework etc. They do advise not using them outside until you have reached a certain stage. Your doctor could tell you if they still prescribe these.

greatbritishpublictoiletmap.rca.ac.uk/

I'm a huge fan of McDonalds and am always looking out for the golden arches - I hardly ever eat there (though their coffee's pretty good), but have used their toilets in many parts of the world. In some countries they have installed toilet attendants, kittylester, so you pay as you go in. Some are very fearsome, particularly in Eastern Europe - DH was chased up the stairs by one who thought (wrongly) that he hadn't paid