Piccadilly Circus loo proposal for the city council, detail [Hugh Broughton Architects1]

POLITICIANS have been urged to stop dilly-dallying and sort out the public toilets situation in Soho before it’s too late, in a report warning business is being irreparably affected by a lack of provision.

Caught Short: A Public Toilet Strategy for Soho was unveiled by the Soho Neighbourhood Forum on Tuesday.

Campaigners have been calling for more permanent facilities for more than 15 years, saying nothing has been done despite people with disabilities, women, and the elderly being the worst affected.

SNF says temporary facilities including pop-up urinals could be scrapped to fund seven permanent toilets in Soho.

Lucy Haine, SNF chair, said: “There are three key elements behind our belief that Soho really needs to up its game in terms of public toilet accessibility: discrimination, reputation, and lost income.

“Soho is rightly one of the most famous locations anywhere in the world, and the income it generates for London and the UK more widely makes it absolutely critical for the economy.

“However, a reduction in toilet facilities means it’s being overtaken, effectively telling millions of people that they shouldn’t visit for fear of not being able to find a loo in time, and impacting businesses and jobs that rely on Soho’s reputation. The temporary toilets do more harm than good, costing far more than they’re worth and only really helping out able-bodied men.

“Better facilities, spaced throughout the district and clearly signposted, will deliver a better experience for visitors to Soho, encouraging more people to come here and spend their time and money. It’s something we have to fight for.”

The report said provision in Soho is “far lower” than other “major districts, cities, and countries” in terms of provision. Seven new facilities should be set up to create an “appropriate accessibility level” at an initial annual investment of £634,000, plus running costs of £95,000, it said.

One-third of people surveyed by SNF avoid going to the West End because of the lack of toilets.

More than 120 businesses said the lack of provision was damaging the area’s reputation.

Disabled, elderly and women are mostly affected by lack of toilets, the “purple pound” and “grey pound”.

Public outdoor urination and defecation costs Soho businesses £300,000 a year in staff costs for cleaning, the SNF said.

And research showed visitors to a destination spend 26 per cent more when they consider the toilet facilities to be top quality.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg said making sure Westminster’s streets were clean and safe was the city council’s top priority and he would “look carefully” at the report, which he welcomed.

“Our city inspectors and street cleaning teams run a 24/7 service to deal with problems like street urination and defecation as quickly as possible,” he said. “We also provide a network of temporary toilets in the West End at weekends and during major events to address the increase in demand for toilets during busier times.”

• On World Toilet Day, on Tuesday, the council announced plans to refurbish eight public toilets, ensuring visitors to the borough have access to new and improved facil­ities. The project brings together architecture, engineering and art to deliver a holistic vision for equitable space in the heart of the capital.