Soho installs ‘anti-pee paint’ to cut public urination in central London

Westminster Council has announced it’s introduced “anti-pee paint” to Soho to combat rising levels of public urination in the popular nightlife area.

The number of people deciding to relieve themselves in public has increased significantly since Covid-19 restrictions were removed, costing the council £950,000 per year to clean.

Local residents are also fed up having to walk past people urinating near their homes.

One Soho resident, Lucy, said: “Wading through streams of wee to get to my front door is not pleasant.

“No one can argue that this is acceptable, wherever you live, and people have a responsibility to use the facilities in the bar or club before they leave.”

The new paint is water repellent, so anyone who attempts to urinate against it will leave themselves “soaked”, according to the council.

Westminster councillor Patrick Lilley said: “It is an absolute disgrace that long-suffering residents have to put up with tourists using Soho as their personal toilet.

“If someone did their business outside your front door, I’m sure you’d feel the same.

“The anti-pee paint, combined with the community protection notices should teach those perpetrators a lesson.”

People who frequent bars and late night venues in the area are being encouraged to use the facilities before they leave, or if not to make use of one of the many public toilets in the area.

The amount of public excrement experienced in Soho also affects street traders the next day.

Rob Smith said: “Every morning you have to stand in a puddle of p***. The stench is all around you.”

Mr Smith, who runs Soho Dairy on Berwick Street, added: “We get used to it in summer because it’s become so normal.

“It’s unfortunate to the extreme. It’s an al fresco loo.”

As well as installing the paint, the council is also spending £20,000 on toilets in Soho from Thursday to Sunday to attempt to keep the West End clean.