JONATHAN TOOLIN’S letter about the toilets in Exhibition Square in The Press of June 15 reminded me of when we were in France and had a bus trip to Chinon.

Wanting to pay a visit to the toilets, just before we entered a woman came out and said in English only use to the lavatories if we were desperate – take a deep breath before you go in and try not to take another till you come out.

It is the same everywhere you go. You have good and you have dreadful.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.

 

• I CAN sympathise with Jonathan Toolin’s feelings about how the dreadful state of the public toilets in a lovely city like York can put people off visiting, but I do hope he may change his mind because York has so very much to offer visitors and residents alike.

We learned a long time ago that the only way to ensure clean, pleasant toilet areas is to treat ourselves to a coffee or tea and use the facilities there – York is spoiled for choice in places of this kind and the toilets are as clean as one could wish.

We seldom use public toilets, unless there is a charge, when one can expect care to be taken with what is on offer. Why the council lets tourists down so badly by allowing its toilets to be as horrible as they are is beyond me – a small charge on entry and people around to keep an eye on things would surely not be too much to ask.

How many other visitors have been put off in the past and will be in the future if we allow the nastiest members of society to foul these important places and do nothing to improve matters?

Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick, York.