London has some of the filthiest public toilets in Britain - but at least they're not the worst
New research reveals that while London’s public toilets are among the dirtiest in the UK, the capital fares better than cities such as York, Bath, and Cambridge when it comes to hygiene and maintenance.
Londoners might not be shocked to hear that the capital’s public toilets don’t always sparkle, but a new study shows the city still performs better than many others across the UK.
Research by waste management firm Business Waste found that London ranks fourth in a list of the country’s dirtiest public toilets, with 12.4% of online reviews describing facilities as “dirty”.
That may sound bad, but cities such as York, Bath and Cambridge fared much worse. York topped the list with a hygiene score of just -1.5 out of 100, while Bath and Cambridge followed closely behind, both scoring below 10.
Despite London’s relatively poor showing, experts say the results reflect the challenge of maintaining hygiene across a sprawling network of 118 public toilets — the largest number in any UK city.
Some of the most criticised London facilities include the Cutty Sark toilets in Greenwich, which charge users 50p and have an average rating of 1.8 stars out of five, with nearly half of reviewers mentioning dirt or mess.
Mark Hall, London-based waste management expert and co-owner of Business Waste, said: “Public toilets are an essential service, yet they’re disappearing faster than ever. It’s shocking that some of the dirtiest are paid facilities — that money should be going straight back into cleaning and maintenance.”
Interestingly, the research also found that free or low-cost toilets tend to be cleaner than those that charge a fee. Other paid locations in cities like York and Plymouth were among the worst for hygiene, despite their entry fees.
The findings come amid concerns that budget cuts and reduced maintenance are contributing to the deterioration of public facilities across the UK.
Hall added: “In a time of national and local budget cuts, it’s vital that councils invest more in keeping these essential public spaces clean, safe and accessible, especially in a city as busy and visited as London.”
While London may not have the country’s dirtiest loos, the report suggests there’s still work to be done to keep the capital’s facilities fit for purpose and worthy of one of the world’s greatest cities.