ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Many UK public toilets that remained open during the pandemic netted large sums in revenue, according to a report from Paymentsense.

Cambridgeshire topped the list of areas with the highest-earning facilities followed by Scarborough Borough Council and Wyre Council. One Cambridge facility cashed in €2,901 during 2020, making it the most profitable washroom in the country. The city's Drummer Street lavatory was used an average of 34 times a day, with each visit costing €0.23

Second most profitable was a facility at Cambridge's Gonville Place which raked in €1,392.58 throughout the year.

Many restaurants, shopping centres and other public buildings had to close during the pandemic due to hygiene concerns. This meant people were forced to pay for council-owned toilets whenever they needed the loo while out and about.

Scarborough Borough Council made €2,653 from cash and card payments for public toilets last year. The Evron Centre in Filey, a community hall used for special events, was the council's biggest money-spinner taking in more than €986 over the year.

Merchant service provider Paymentsense obtained data on public toilets from 203 councils, 12 of which charged for public use.

Councils are not obliged to provide free toilets for public provision. According to Scarborough Borough Council, charging an entry fee allows it to safeguard the service and ensure provision of high-quality toilets, with the fee going towards a refurbishment programme.

It is thought that the high revenues made by public facilities was in part due to an increased use of contactless card payments.