Do shops have to let customers use their toilets?

mackeire

A Shop in Gorey, Co Wexford, yesterday wouldn't let a 10 year old paying customer use the bathroom and told him to cross a very busy road to go over to the shopping centre to use their toilets.

The young lad nearly pooed himself, literally.

The young lad and his friend and the friends dad were in the shop getting a few bits when the dad realised that he had left his wallet at home and had to go back and get it. So the lads stayed in the shop while the dad went home.

So do shops have to let customers use their toilets and can they tell children to leave the shop to use other facilities?

No they don't

whiskeyman

Shops, no.
Restaurants or cafes, yes.

iamwhoiam

Was it a customers toilet or a staff toilet ?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Of course they can refuse access to their toilets if they wish. They're generally not public toilets.

McMurphy

mackeire wrote: »

.

So do shops have to let customers use their toilets and can they tell children to leave the shop to use other facilities?

I'd imagine no is the answer here.

Take the small local shop in my nearest village, it's one of those shops where the shopowner has his sitting room connected to the shop by a small door, half the time I go in during the week I feel like I'm interrupting his horse racing viewing or hourly news bulletins.

Anyway I'm sure if I asked him to use his jacks to lay a log he'd probably tell me to shag off.

Mrs OBumble

If a partially toilet-trained 10 year old was left alone ( or with a similarly-aged other kid) in my shop, I'd be calling the guards.

mackeire

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

If a partially toilet-trained 10 year old was left alone ( or with a similarly-aged other kid) in my shop, I'd be calling the guards.

Why would you call the guards?
They weren't stealing or doing anything wrong.

iamwhoiam

mackeire wrote: »

Why would you call the guards?
They weren't stealing or doing anything wrong.

Well was it a staff toilet ?

Samuel T. Cogley

Because a ten year old that can't even control their toilet needs was left alone in a shop, idiot.

mackeire

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Well was it a staff toilet ?

Not sure, I'll have to go in and check myself.

iamwhoiam

mackeire wrote: »

Not sure, I'll have to go in and check myself.

Most likely was because a shop rarely has a customer toilet . If its a staff toilet its for staff and not random boys left in the shop

mackeire

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Because a ten year old that can't even control their toilet needs was left alone in a shop, idiot.

Obviously he did control it, there wasn't any mess anywhere.
He was just bursting to go and had to hold it for a good while.

Hope you feel better now trying to slag off a child that you know nothing about on the Internet.

Samuel T. Cogley

mackeire wrote: »

Obviously he did control it, there wasn't any mess anywhere.
He was just bursting to go and had to hold it for a good while.

Hope you feel better now trying to slag off a child that you know nothing about on the Internet.

I know his father leaves him alone in shops near a busy road.

Rubberchikken

A staff toilet, id imagine no. It would probably be in staff only area so hardly fair/legal/safe to let public/kids in.
Our local aldi staff seem plagued by requests for people to use staff toilet. Staff used to explain that it wasnt allowed. Then i noticed that the staff member asked would have to stand at the outer door and wait for user to finish. This was often the staff member serving this same person or sometimes the only person on a till at the time.
Now they seem to have just given up altogether andc leave the person in, let the outer door close and get back to work.
They've probably just been worn down with the cobstant requests from people who cant hold it.

freshpopcorn

Shops don't! Most do even my lcoal Lidl/Aldi allow people use the staff toilet.
But anywhere that sells food do. Even if they just have a coffee machine.
There is one take-away in my town and they close some of the seated away and toilets about an hour before closing. It's run by a woman who's on the business association.
Last Summer I was in their and a woman went in with her young son and ordered a good bit of food and asked could her son use the toilet and the owner refused!

Sleeper12

Paying customer or not they d have to let anyone use their toilets.

Most places will let the odd person use the toilet but if you have a steady stream (pardon the pun) of people want to use the toilet it's simpler to say no.

dobman88

mackeire wrote: »

A Shop in Gorey, Co Wexford, yesterday wouldn't let a 10 year old paying customer use the bathroom and told him to cross a very busy road to go over to the shopping centre to use their toilets.

The young lad nearly pooed himself, literally.

The young lad and his friend and the friends dad were in the shop getting a few bits when the dad realised that he had left his wallet at home and had to go back and get it. So the lads stayed in the shop while the dad went home.

So do shops have to let customers use their toilets and can they tell children to leave the shop to use other facilities?

How was the 10 year old a paying customer if he had no money?

Would the 10 year old normally pay for stuff when he's out with his friend and his Dad?

Riddle101

If it was a staff toilet I don't think so. However I think exceptions should be made. If the 10 year kid was bursting to go then I would have let him if I was the manager. Just doesn't seem right to turn away someone in need like that and risk s*itting themselves.

mackeire

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I know his father leaves him alone in shops near a busy road.

His father wasn't there, his friends father was.
The friends father went home (about a mile away) to get his wallet and let them stay there and pick out what wanted.
Not exactly the crime of the century as they were told not to leave the shop.

Dempsey

They dont have to but they should

What sort of country are we turning into when we dont let people use a fcuking toilet

CeilingFly

No, and one of the reason is insurance scammers and FILTHY people.

We used to allow customers use toilets until one "claimed" she slipped and whilst we have not had a claim arrive, we could still get one.

The other issue is utterly filthy and disgusting people who have no qualms about sh1tting and pissing on your floor.

So, whilst we may allow a small child use it in an emergency, unfortunately several filthy customers and a possible insurance scammer, means we don't as a rule of thumb permit customer use toilets in our stores.

Try_harder

he'll be on the cover of the papers tomorrow!

iamwhoiam

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Paying customer or not they d have to let anyone use their toilets.

Most places will let the odd person use the toilet but if you have a steady stream (pardon the pun) of people want to use the toilet it's simpler to say no.

So a shop has to let a person who is in the shop use their staff toilet ? Do you know of any law that says that ?

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Why do you assume he's partially toilet trained and/or cannot control their toilet needs? He's ten not 2 or 3. What does that even mean 'partially toilet trained'? You're either toilet trained or you're not.

And why would you call the guards FFS? I presume you're being sarcastic.

The young lad needed to go the loo. I've needed to go and been refused while out and about.

How do you know the kid nearly pooped himself btw? Did you ask him? I presume he just needed to use the loo urgently.

WoollyRedHat

Why didn't the dad bring kids back with him?

iamwhoiam

Dempsey wrote: »

They dont have to but they should

What sort of country are we turning into when we dont let people use a fcuking toilet

So by the same token should any work place allow the public use the staff toilet ?

Try_harder

Why did the father leave them in the shop?

Sleeper12

iamwhoiam wrote:

So a shop has to let a person who is in the shop use their staff toilet ? Do you know of any law that says that ?

Sorry. My predict text said d instead of don't. Shops definitely do not have to let customers or non customers use their toilets

Try_harder

Surely the child knew he needed to go when the dad guy was leaving, why didn't he tell him then?

mackeire

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Why didn't the dad bring kids back with him?

Because they're 10 and able to stay somewhere safe for a few minutes on their own.

iamwhoiam

mackeire wrote: »

Because they're 10 and able to stay somewhere safe for a few minutes on their own.

Unless they of course need to use the toilet

Try_harder

mackeire wrote: »

Because they're 10 and able to stay somewhere safe for a few minutes on their own.

What was the hassle bringing them with him though? What was the reasoning for leaving them in the shop?

mackeire

Try_harder wrote: »

Surely the child knew he needed to go when the dad guy was leaving, why didn't he tell him then?

IBS, it kinda just comes on you.

WoollyRedHat

mackeire wrote: »

Because they're 10 and able to stay somewhere safe for a few minutes on their own.

Yet not communicate with the dad that they may need to use the toilet before he goes.

ETA: If he had IBS that should of been communicated as a potential issue.
Anyway I don't agree he should have left 2 of them even if it was just a mile away.

Try_harder

mackeire wrote: »

IBS, it kinda just comes on you.

So now the kids has IBS, surely best not to leave him unattended then!

soups05

really don't get this at all. Why was it a problem for the ten year old to cross the road to the shopping centre toilets?

in the OP it states the kid nearly sh*t himself, hence why some posters called him partially toilet trained. But it appears he is unable to cross the road alone either. Is this kid suffering from a disability not disclosed in the op? if not then he can shag off.

cursai

Maybe the Dad has no toilet in his house.

Captain Obvious

mackeire wrote: »

Because they're 10 and able to stay somewhere safe for a few minutes on their own.

I don't think TUSLA would agree.

Try_harder

soups05 wrote: »

really don't get this at all. Why was it a problem for the ten year old to cross the road to the shopping centre toilets?

in the OP it states the kid nearly sh*t himself, hence why some posters called him partially toilet trained. But it appears he is unable to cross the road alone either. Is this kid suffering from a disability not disclosed in the op? if not then he can shag off.

He has IBS now

Try_harder

cursai wrote: »

Maybe the Dad has no toilet in his house.

Maybe he didnt want the kid pooing at his house!

mackeire

Anyway, cheers for the replies, I'll have to go down to the shop myself and have a chat with the manager.

And to the comments slagging off the child, I just hope that real life you isn't like Internet you or you really do have a sad existence!

Peace out!

Try_harder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2T6YdEcp6w

Captain Obvious

mackeire wrote: »

Anyway, cheers for the replies, I'll have to go down to the shop myself and have a chat with the manager.

And to the comments slagging off the child, I just hope that real life you isn't like Internet you or you really do have a sad existence!

Peace out!

You should also report the father for neglect.

Try_harder

mackeire wrote: »

Anyway, cheers for the replies, I'll have to go down to the shop myself and have a chat with the manager.

And to the comments slagging off the child, I just hope that real life you isn't like Internet you or you really do have a sad existence!

Peace out!

Why are you going down? Are you the child's dad? Or the guy that left two young lads in the shop?

WoollyRedHat

Sorry that's ridiculous , this whole thread is ridiculous, is not the responsibility of a shop to provide toilets to customers.. and if the kid had IBS that makes the decision to leave them there even more questionable. What if they did have a toilet for customers but it was out of order?

Try_harder

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Sorry that's ridiculous , this whole thread is ridiculous, is not the responsibility of a shop to provide toilets to customers..

there's a whiff off it alright!

Outlaw Pete

Many moons ago when I was 18 I worked in shop / garage and Frank Carson came in and asked if we had a public toilet. We didn't but I let him use the staff toilet. When he came out he thanked me and said it was a cracker

Not enough public toilets around in general though tbf, especially in our towns and cities, might not be the responsibility of a shop but some are far too uptight about letting customers use their facilities.

Bredabe

I have a sibling who works in an area where there is a lot of drug abuse. His boss is forced by Health Authority to keep the toilets for the shop open, resulting in staff having to clean up all kinds of bodily fluids and drug paraphernalia on an hourly basis.

They get NO training on how to dispose of the paraphernalia or any clue as to where to dispose of it safely, there are no grants for his boss to buy special gloves/masks for them to wear while they clean this up.

While in general, I would be pro shop toilet, only if ppl using it, respect it!

cursai

Try_harder wrote: »

Why are you going down? Are you the child's dad? Or the guy that left two young lads in the shop?

He wants to ask permission to go to the toilet.

BeerFarts

It's amazing you've got people advocating calling the guards and tusla. There are some seriously deranged people here.

It sucks for the kid but sh!t happens.