It is a truth universally acknowledged that nipping to the loo can be a grim experience, especially if the area is busy and has a high footfall. Pongy toilets that require you to hold your breath, 90s graffiti-emblazoned cubicles on the verge of falling apart and dripping taps are just a few characteristics that plague numerous toilets across the country.
Rickety toilet holders that are either empty or have sandpaper-esque toilet rolls are just added insult to injury. One toilet location that is rising above and wiping the floor with the competition is Chorley Markets.
It was recently crowned Loo of The Year, having won the award for a whopping seven consecutive years. Its recent refurbishment included an entrance widening procedure, which shows how committed Chorley Markets are to creating a good and accessible user experience.
Writer Denise Evans visited the UK’s best bog to see what the fuss was about. Here is her experience as reported in LancsLive.
Why are these lavatories so flushed with awards over the years? Are they really that good?
Well, yes, yes they are. Now, these toilets have to meet strict criteria by a brilliantly named Loo of the Year Awards Inspector.
This includes management, hygiene equipment, cleanliness, signage and communications, accessible facilities, décor and maintenance, security and baby changing facilities to have a chance of being crowned Loo of the Year. So we had all of these in mind, with a few of our own extras thrown in.
At the very least, you want the basics when you nip to the loo, which, to us, are toilet roll, a hot water tap and soap and either a hand dryer or towel to dry your hands. Additional touches such as a good mirror and waste bin in the sink areas are welcome too.
A sanitary bin is also an absolute necessity in the women's toilets. The loos at Chorley Market were pristinely clean, from the floors, sinks and toilet seats to the walls, mirrors and toilet brushes.
The toilet roll was fully stocked in the four unoccupied cubicles we checked during our visit. The sanitary bins were not overflowing or smelly, as can often be the case.
There was also toilet roll aplenty in the men's toilets, so much so, we half expected the Andrex dog to come bounding out. We didn't even mind the visible 'wet floor' signs, as it's nice to know they are ready and waiting in case of any spillage or slip-hazards.
Each cubicle is also lit with blue neon strip lights, which was an unexpected detail for public toilets and certainly elevated them from bog standard. The water taps had good pressure and were hot instantly, with loads of soap in the dispensers.
This was before the state-of-the-art Dyson hand dryers rapidly went to work, drying our hands faster than if we had them under dragon fire. They're amazing though, aren't they?
The air pressure is so strong they could probably generate enough puff to operate an indoor skydiving wind tunnel. In fact, the whole place is high-tech and wouldn't look out of place on a futuristic sci-fi blockbuster film, with no-touch flushes and taps.
Oh, and for those wondering (it's important to us too) the flush flow was powerful and fast, not at all like the pathetic trickle we've come across in our time. The corridor leading to the loos is an added little history lesson bonus too, with artistic black and white images of the historic market, which has been around for centuries, adorning the walls.
We visited on a busy market day with good, clear and sunny weather and plenty of people were constantly coming in and out, but we can imagine the toilets will be even more in demand in the warmer months. So fair play to the cleaning and maintenance team for keeping these loos smelling and looking good, and maybe those running the literal bogs dressed up as public toilets elsewhere, should visit Chorley to see how it should be done.
