Residents in Mansfield have expressed differing opinions about the reintroduction of a 20p charge for the usage of the public toilets in the town’s main shopping centre, the Four Seasons.
Mansfield District Council announced on Monday, August 18 that the barriers in front of the toilets, which have been open for around three months, would be shut from Tuesday, August 19 onwards.
They had been free for that period of time due to a fault with the paddle gates, which usually automatically opened on receipt of payment. But with the fault, Mansfield District Council took the opportunity to recommission the toilets – and have now introduced a contactless payment option, meaning that those who aren’t carrying cash will still be able to use the facilities.
But David and Gloria Williams, from Edwinstowe, think that ultimately they should be kept free. “I’m 76-years-old now,” said David. “I can remember when everything was free.
“Now they don’t like people doing anything for free. But if we’ve got to pay to keep them clean, I guess we have to.”
“You might as well nip into a pub,” says Gloria, 72, noting how there are far less public toilets available in general now compared to some forty or fifty years ago. “It’s ridiculous how many are closing. They wonder why people go in the street.”
Sophie Grace, from Jacksdale, was at shopping centre with her family. Her son has a medical need, which means he needs to go to the toilet every hour, so they sometimes feel they have no choice but to pay if they’re out and about.
“Personally, I don’t think you should have to pay, but with the amount of people that go in and trash it, you can understand,” says the 31-year-old. “Like most public toilets, these ones are alright in the morning but tend to get worse later in the day.”
“Generally, though, I think it’s unfair to make people pay when it’s a necessity, not a luxury.”
A man leaving the toilet, who doesn’t want to be named, agrees. “I haven’t been to Mansfield for years and I didn’t realise it cost (anything). If it was a pound, I’d still have had to pay or else I’d make a mess on’t’ floor.
“It’s not great. You shouldn’t have to pay, should you? Let’s face it. It’s a joke. I’m not in agreement with that, mate. If it’s a vote, put me down against it.”
Offering a different perspective was an older couple who had visited the shopping centre in the same way they had been for years. “We’ve always had to pay,” says the lady, who also didn’t want to be named.
“I bet I’ve still got loads of ten and twenty pences everywhere at home from when I used to keep them for trips here.
“I don’t mind paying as long as we’ve got a toilet to go to. It’s not having the facilities which is the problem. We lost some when Debenhams and Beales shut.”
Her husband agrees with her sentiment about paying. “My main concern is the state of them,” he says. “I have no objection if they make sure they’re clean.”
A spokesperson for Mansfield District Council said: “There has always been a 20p charge to use the public toilets at Four Seasons Shopping Centre. For a short period earlier this year, the payment system was out of order due to a fault with the paddle gates, which meant customers were able to access the facilities free of charge. This issue has now been resolved.
“The toilets have since been recommissioned with an upgraded system, which now includes a contactless payment option alongside coin payment. This is designed to make access more convenient for customers and to ensure the facilities continue to be maintained to a high standard.”
