TOILETS ARE FOR CUSTOMER USE ONLY is definitely one of my least favourite signs. Worse still are public toilets that make you literally spend a penny, as in pay to piss.
But for now I will focus on the policy itself rather than having to pay. I am wholeheartedly against this policy in all its forms and believe the law should be changed to make all establishments obliged to allow the public to use the toilet.
This is something I have campaigned for years now but a recent experience has put it back at the forefront of my mind along with “why sometimes dogs are brown” and fried chicken.
Strolling down Cow’s Lane in Dublin’s Temple Bar, I popped into a café called Cha Cha Cha. I asked the waitress if I could use the bathroom. She said “yes” and pointed up the stairs. As I was about to enter the toilet the waitress ran up behind me to tell me that actually, “TOILETS ARE FOR CUSTOMER USE ONLY”. I said, “OK but I’m here now so maybe you should let this one go,” and proceeded to enter the toilet. The waiter’s supervisor came up afterwards and ordered me to get out of the toilet. I told him what I had told the waitress and also that I found his behaviour extremely rude considering I was already in the toilet.
I left Cha Cha Cha and walked immediately next door to the Queen of Tarts. I asked to use the toilet. The waitress smiled and said “of course”.
Now I understand why places have customer only policies. Staff shouldn’t have to clean up after random folk off the street as well as all the customers. But I think such a policy should be exercised with caution. It left a very bad taste in my mouth for Cha Cha Cha and a very good one for the Queen of Tarts (excuse the pun).
If someone is polite enough to ask a member of staff first if they can use the toilet, it is unlikely they are going to use the facility to ‘cook up’ or smear shit all over the walls.
What do you think?