Signs going down toilet (From Stroud News and Journal)

Signs going down toilet

WE BRITS are renowned for our coyness when it comes to matters lavatorial.

In the heart of middle England, one never goes to the toilet - we spend a penny, powder our noses and visit the little boys' room.

So when a sign appeared on a new loo block in Painswick which bluntly stated the obvious, the town's more modest residents were horrified.

The 'urinals' sign on the men's toilets has been blasted for being crude and embarrassing.

Derek Hodges, a former chairman of the parish council, who has lived in the awarding-winning picturesque town for 40 years, is one of those who believes the sign is offensive.

"The district council could have been a little more sensitive," said the retired headteacher.

"Several people have complained to me.

"I have been standing by the toilets and visitors have come up to me and said 'Heavens, look at that'.

"It is offensive to my eyesight not to mention embarrassing when we have tourists in the summer.

"A simple 'ladies' and 'gentleman' would be better in a beautiful Cotswold town like ours - I don't see why we have to use such old fashioned words."

Coun Terry Parker, the current parish chairman, agrees with the concerns. "It is rather unusual to have such a sign but there are reasons why the word was used and this is simply that the toilet contains only urinals," he said.

A separate unisex toilet cubicle is available for men to use.

Lisa Samak, public space officer at Stroud District Council, stressed that the authority had a duty not to mislead anyone.

"There is no point in men going in to use the pan and discovering there isn't one," she said.

"We have had problems in the similar toilets in Stonehouse and obviously we did not want the same thing happening here.

"Mostly it was done to allay the fears of women who understandably don't want unisex toilets.

"We have done this in direct consultation with the parish council."

The toilets were installed in March.

Last year, Painswick won the Calor Gas Village of the Year for England in 2005.