Woman Locks Herself In Public Toilets In Protest

A woman in Bath has taken the closure of local public toilets into her own hands by locking herself inside one of the facilities.

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Late on Wednesday afternoon, Lin Patterson, 67, took a sleeping bag, fresh water and supplies and occupied the public toilets on Dominion Road in Twerton, Bath.  The Council wanted to close the toilets permanently today in order to make cost savings.

It is one of three public toilets closing today in Bath, Combe Down and Peasedown are also included. Lin has already started a popular petition on 38 Degrees’ Campaigns By You website in order to demand that the council listen to the people of Bath and keep the toilets open for public use.

Local residents attended a demonstration at 6pm last night outside the toilets in support and as a last minute attempt to save their toilets. Lin has been campaigning to keep the public toilet open in Larkhall, the other side of Bath, where an extension has been granted until April while local councillors and officers try to find commercial subsidy.

Lin, who started her petition on the 38 Degrees Campaigns By You website said: “I am occupying these toilets for three reasons. There was some good campaigning by Twerton people to keep the toilets open, with a petition of 97 signatures handed in and another petition of at least 50 signatures gathered, but many people in Twerton still do not know our toilets are closing, and we need to know and mobilise.

“The second reason is that although I have been campaigning to save the Larkhall toilets, people need all these facilities. We are stronger if we work together. So this widens and intensifies the campaign.

“The third reason is to put this in the context of cuts that are unnecessary, unreasonable and unwanted by people who can vote. The priorities are wrong nationally and locally, with huge capital budgets for massive projects that primarily serve vested interests.

“I start with local toilets, which serve one of our most basic human needs, where closure hurts the most vulnerable, elderly, women, children and disabled people.”

People in Bath can sign the e-petition at http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-public-toilets-open or visit the Twerton public toilets to show their support.