Sorry saga of abuse of petrol station’s toilets

IN response to the article about complaints from petrol station customers over dirty and poorly stocked toilet facilities (Yorkshire Post, November 12), I worked at a petrol station which had a toilet available to customers.

The toilet was inspected and cleaned twice daily by a member of staff.

This task fell occasionally to management. The toilet was the only one in the forecourt shop and, therefore, used by staff.

I was amazed at the large number of customers using 
the facilities and absolutely disgusted by the condition in which some customers left 
the toilet. Staff had to clean up their mess.

Also, items such as toilet rolls, towels and soap were stolen by customers on an almost daily basis. On one occasion the dried flower display in the toilet area had been stolen and someone – it surely had to be a man – had relieved himself in the vase in which they had been displayed. No doubt this is a national problem.

I recommended to management that a charge be levied for customer use of the toilet and I believe this was introduced after I’d left my employment there.

The garage where I did my initial training had implemented the practice of keeping the toilet locked because of the vandalism and water damage that had occurred.

Customers had to request a key to access the facilities.

I think petrol station customers should be grateful that toilet facilities are available at all.