There just aren’t any. There is not a single public toilet in Putney. This is proving an immense problem for people. The absence of these toilets has absolutely no logic. Everybody needs to go to the toilet but, when out and about, there is no viable, accessible way to do so. Instead, people are faced with the embarrassing ordeal of going into the local coffee shop, restaurant or pub, not to buy their products, but to use their facilities. This is an occurrence I unfortunately experienced and felt extremely embarrassed as I tried to exit the shop without making eye contact with anyone inside; an experience none of us wants to have.
It was in late 2011 that the problem emerged after local government cuts, and it is developing seriously now. You would have thought necessities such as toilets would be high on the priority list, as, for me, toilets are just as vital as your lungs; you can’t function without them and you certainly can’t breathe without both (for the overwhelming stench there would be without toilets). But no. It seems that is not the case.
It is a simple fact that everyone needs the toilet. It is also a fact that most people (unless they are your average teenage zombie playing on video games) go out. Regularly. Putney is renowned for its high-street and it generates a lot of money there, both for growing businesses and the council. It is the hub of the town and is right in the centre. But where do these shoppers go to ‘unload their bags’ so to speak. Sometimes they may go home early just because they are as desperate to go to the toilet as we all are before sitting that all important test. By leaving early, they might spend less money in the shops. Money that could, ultimately, be spent on increasing the economy of Putney.
So, it seems, toilets are a financial God-send. They are clearly the way out of the double-dip recession. If we have more toilets, the money will come flushing down on us. Everyone happy? Problem solved.
