Newcastle's Missing Public Toilets

Research is with thanks to Maud Webster.
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This video takes a look at the history of Newcastle's public toilets. These have had a significant rise and fall. There are currently no public toilets available within Newcastle city centre.
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ABOUT JORDAN REEVE
A full-time planner, Jordan Reeve specialises in creating videos about the built environment to tell its stories. The topics cover the historical development of cities alongside psychogeography-style walks, which aims to uncover the urban environment as well as pose questions about the space and place in which we live, work, and play. He lives in Newcastle Upon Tyne and attempts to showcase the modern face of a former industrial city, which is still finding its way in regeneration.
#newcastlehistory #publictoilets #newcastledocumentary

[@shaoandy]

Great video. It’s a shame so many public toilets have been lost. I remember a campaign a few years ago where businesses put “feel free to use our loo” signs up in their windows (not sure if they’re still there). While not a great substitute for proper public toilets it was good to be reassured you won’t be shouted at if you use somewhere’s loo without spending money there. One worth mentioning is the Victorian toilets at central station - they’re pretty special.

[@tbc8954]

Noticed recently that they seem to have removed a lot of the bins in the city, coincidentally at the same time as an increase in council officers handing on the spot fines for littering etc.

[@redcalx9568]

HI Im 48 and can still smell the Elden carpark loo at the top of the escalators opposite Argos

[@JordanReeve]

It must have been awful

[@OriginalPeterPan]

Absolutely shocking what Newcastle Council have decided regarding the demolition of Public Toilets. Theres over 5000 Public and Private taxis in this small city. Many of these drivers working night shift along with hundreds of delivery drivers from Uber eats. Where do these drivers go while working around the city? Its outrageous Newcastle Council allowed this to happen. It is a major problem that gets overlooked.

[@DannyBoy00X]

The lack of toilets in the city and being a street photographer (mostly at night time) is becoming more and more problematic. I need to start to dehydrate myself from around lunch time!

[@JordanReeve]

Honestly mate I do the same when I’m out filming. Wake up and don’t drink too much water is my go to

[@geordieurbex2200]

Ive been told the ones infront of pilgrim street fire station are still there, can only be reached by a drain in the road. I also read that years ago there was alot of creeps nd dodgy stuff going on in some of the toilets forcing them to close

[@srhwilliams97]

Never heard of the urinary leash before, interesting concept!

[@xr6lad]

Think it’s fictional. Sounds like some sad little activist trying to shoehorn a modern interpretation to something. It will simply be that there were less woman in public life and being a prudish time mainly men run councils didn’t discuss woman’s bodily functions.

[@srhwilliams97]

@@xr6lad Interesting that you state 'mainly men run councils' didn't like to discuss women's bodily functions, they love to do it these days! I would say that urinary leash is a great term to provide a label for an old problem, one that raises awareness of a long withstanding issue. We must reflect on the past so that we can advocate for positive future change.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Great videos and indepth and well researched information

[@1258-Eckhart]

We have the same thing in Munich and I think for the same reason. There's a tendency for the council to lease the erstwhile walk-in facilities to a company called Sanifair which charges you around 1 € (it varies) at the turnstile (but everything is much cleaner). The provision of toilets in private premises and on trains has hugely increased since Victorian times, though.

[@kelsogirl562]

Wow - €1 to use the loo. I'm old enough to remember when the phrase "spend a penny" was relevant so it's now 100 times more expensive. Never thought inflation would affect going to the toilet.

[@Vince_uk]

Very True

[@jimmyoconnell6167]

There was loads of public toilets but they were dodgy full of cottagers 😅

[@YourBeingParanoid]

Oi who you calling dodgy?

[@stevezpj]

There was definitely a decline after the George Michael arrest in LA :D

[@YourBeingParanoid]

@@stevezpj I found the opposite was true. You'd be surprised what goes on in Newcastle, be that gay, straight, bi or just try

[@stevezpj]

@@YourBeingParanoid I mean a decline in toilets, not what went on in them :D George Michael's arrest definitely made cottaging a common term that most didn't know beforehand so I think that led to getting rid of quite a few public toilets as more people got into it. Like dogging - bloody everywhere you go now is a dogging site!

[@YourBeingParanoid]

@@stevezpj the public toilet decline in recent times was a lot to do with cut backs under the libcons and then the Tories. With the invention of the internet, an openly accessible gay scene as well as saunas and swingers clubs, the cottaging situation just became something different. The old cruising sites became housing estates and wasteland cleared of old broken building shells and dangerous overgrowth. I miss the 90s 😂

[@TheWeardale1]

i used to go in the northumberland arms as the toilets were before you went to the bar... i'm surprised there's no touist information centre there, unless that's changed in recent years...

[@JordanReeve]

I think everyone has their fave toilets in town. Can’t beat the Baltic when your down the quayside

[@dylancarter1831]

I was typing for videos for Newcastle shops and city centres for nostalgia for the old days and somehow it wound up recommending this video. It is a shame public toilets were closed, but I remember by the late 90s, early 2000s, it was also being used by druggies and people looking to hook up for sex. Also budget reasons too. Whenever I visit Newcastle city centre I just now dive into the shopping centre.

[@stephencrossman9402]

The only council toilets that I know off are in the Grainger Market otherwise it's shops or Eldon Square.

[@Thetoon25]

What in the world has the thumb nail of the top of Grays Monument got to do with public toilets?

[@PARALLEL7_Vegan_Street_food]

thre used to be toilets by st james park

[@trevorashworth7307]

When you are in to your seventies you need public toilets,otherwise you think twice about going any distance.around Newcastle.

[@wrichard11]

Newcastle council provides lavatories in Grainger market

[@Jeffybonbon]

as an ex city cop in the 1980s the toilets were used by the Gays who would meet men The Town moor had i think four toilets and when the night clubs finished at 2am the moor was alive with gay guys cruising today thank god the world has moved on and gay men can be out with out a great number of problems The Police used vice officers to catch the guys in the toilets and thats why a lot went they were horrible places to be honest glad to see the back of them

[@YourBeingParanoid]

All public toilets (and those in shops) will be used for men to look at other's bits - mainly married bi guys. This has been going on for as long as men have had bits. These days, the internet and open LGBTQ+ venues have cut it down but it will always be there as quite a few people aren't out or are just dabbling. You should google videos of gay toilets in Newcastle's Bigg Market to know why I'd never go in that new bar for a drink

[@voiceofraisin3778]

If you go to the Theatre in Newcastle you come to Shakespeare street. The public toilet there was infamous for the more theatrical gentleman looking to find companionship in the pre-swipe right era that it became known as Anne Hathaways cottage.

[@johnpaulgleason7929]

Jordan that's a cracking video, different subject, but very noticeable lack of them in Newcastle. Worthy of covering that is for sure. I never knew about a few of them old public spaces! now I do, good to know :) Sadly it wouldn't surprise me if one day we have pay to use public toilets like in London and Manchester, which are hell on earth to use.... the smell..... and having to be desperate enough to pay hard earned cash to do something you have no option but to do! Talk about alienating the poor.

[@rain_down_]

Interesting. I'm hardly in town after hours, but I guess people use alleyways or places like McDonalds for their options. I think also that public toilets in city centres attract drug problems at night as well as other 'activities!' It would be good to have some paid options, though, with security and servicing. I have my favourite in shopping hours, but not going to reveal it!

[@clarkeysam]

Could the reduction in public toilets also be related to the public's/government's attitude at the time towards LGBTQ+ people, given that they were known locations for people to hook up?

[@JordanReeve]

That’s an interesting point which I didn’t cover. Could definitely be a contributing factor

[@clarkeysam]

@@JordanReeve that's just a total guess by me. I have no evidence or reason to think it's accurate, but I'm friends with gay pensioner who said public toilets were notorious "cruising" places.

[@boredsund]

No, you're absolutely right. Whether the councils care to admit it or not, a lot were decomissioned due to the illegal activity between men that took place in them. It was particularly rife in the times before internet (obviously), or with men who were meeting in secret (married, closeted etc). There were numerous notorious"cottages", probably the most notorious being the Bigg Market, and it was (ahem) "used" right up until it closed. Of course it's not just the s*x aspect, the closure of public toilets also diminishes Dr*g use in them. Great video though Jordan, there's nothing worse than needing to go and nowhere to be able to, especially after 5pm!

[@xr6lad]

I thought the same specially in parks etc plus druggies plus homeless. But tbh the former with things like Grindr would rarely happen today - different generation now. As for the latter i don’t know.

[@xr6lad]

I’m going to go out on a limb and say even as a man - most of those old time toilets were likely mainly ‘men only’ given it being a man’s world. I don’t think it’s anything about a leash - that’s a stupid modern activist interpretation. It would have simply been that men and the world being very prudish simply didn’t want to think or discuss woman having to go to a ‘toilet’. It was something ‘gentile’ people didn’t discuss like many body functions back then.

[@LollipopLozzy454545]

My dude, nobody thought that women didn't shit or piss.