A Bermondsey park cafe owner is echoing recent calls for more public toilets after claiming she is losing business not having one.
Bell Zeki, who set up Bell’s Cafe four years ago in Bermondsey Spa Gardens, has become well-known for creating a community vibe in the small park between Spa Road and Grange Road. She says although everyone loves it, lots of people don’t come because there is no toilet.
“They say to me, ‘Bell I want to come to the cafe but I can’t’ – because they need a toilet nearby.
“Especially the older people, so it means they have to stay home.”
This small community cafe in a Bermondsey park has got rave reviews from locals
In fact, Age UK did a survey that found that nine in ten Londoners have considered toilet provision before making a journey to a particular place and over half (58 per cent) felt there were not enough in parks.
Bell explained that she had asked the council to install a public toilet in the park, but they refused.
We went to the council for comment but they did not respond at the time of going to press.
Continence issues affect many people, including older people, the recently pregnant, people with prostate issues and many more.
As well as breaking the taboo about this issue, campaigners are also asking councils to undo years of cuts to public toilets.
Southwark Liberal Democrats are urging the council to improve public toilets. Southwark Council currently has around 30 toilets – but the Lib Dems say the visibility of these is poor, often with little evidence that they exist.
As well as this, the operating times of these toilets also can be limited by not being open into the late afternoon and evening. The Lib Dems claim this means people with continence issues feel less able to enjoy their evenings after work.
They have written an open letter to the council, asking to improve signage, extend operating hours, and build more public toilets.
Health and Wellbeing Spokesperson Cllr Maria Linforth-Hall said: “If you aren’t affected by continence issues, someone you know will be.
“Having these basic facilities available in order to access the whole of the borough at all times is a matter of fundamental dignity. I am troubled by the number of elderly residents who tell me they often feel isolated from the world outside of their homes, simply out of anxiety about where the next toilet will be.
“Access to more public toilets benefits everyone, as well as the local economy. But for people with continence issues, it can be a life-changing matter. With 1 in 5 people saying they leave the house less due to concerns about toilet access, world continence week is the perfect chance to stand up for the dignity and wellbeing of everyone.”