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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Firms asked to open up their loos | Firms asked to open up their loos |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Firms in London are being urged to open their toilets to the public, to help tackle a shortage of public lavatories. | Firms in London are being urged to open their toilets to the public, to help tackle a shortage of public lavatories. |
| Mayor Boris Johnson wants boroughs to sign up the Community Toilet Scheme, where businesses are given grants to open their facilities to the public. | |
| Since 1999 London has experienced the steepest decline in the number of local authority-owned toilets in the country. | Since 1999 London has experienced the steepest decline in the number of local authority-owned toilets in the country. |
| The Community Toilet Scheme was first introduced by Richmond Council in south-west London, in 2005. | |
| Incredible burden | Incredible burden |
| Mr Johnson said: "Older people and families with young children in particular find the lack of public loos inconvenient and an incredible burden when out and about." | Mr Johnson said: "Older people and families with young children in particular find the lack of public loos inconvenient and an incredible burden when out and about." |
| In Richmond, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets are paid £600 a year to open their facilities to non-customers, giving residents access to a further 75 toilets around the borough. | In Richmond, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets are paid £600 a year to open their facilities to non-customers, giving residents access to a further 75 toilets around the borough. |
| The facilities are clearly labelled with a badge in the window and some are even signposted from the street. | The facilities are clearly labelled with a badge in the window and some are even signposted from the street. |
| Councillor Martin Elengorn said: "We are delighted the mayor has singled out our scheme for praise and recommended other councils to consider adopting a similar initiative." | Councillor Martin Elengorn said: "We are delighted the mayor has singled out our scheme for praise and recommended other councils to consider adopting a similar initiative." |