Toilet situation is a disgrace

[zahidf]

Who's bright idea was it to get rid of 90% of the urinals, and have long drops with limited lighting and three steep, metal steps? It's an accident waiting to happen

[5co77ie]

5 hours ago, zahidf said:

Who's bright idea was it to get rid of 90% of the urinals, and have long drops with limited lighting and three steep, metal steps? It's an accident waiting to happen

It was mine 

[noisenoiseandmorenoise]

They had these at green Man and apparently they are environmentally friendly and easier to manage so I fear they will now be the norm 

Agree with you though, I was not a fan and later in the festival those metal steps started to feel unsecure.

[Vamagus]

Mrs V would like to add that because the long drops are pitch black due to no light, she’s having to deal with the aftermath of men pissing in the dark. Not a happy bunny. 
 

We’ve overheard a number of women making similar complaints. 
 

Reckon it’ll be grim by the end of the weekend. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Vamagus

[airwaves]

What wally thought installing these disasters was a good idea???

It takes me back to the worse days of Glasto toilets. 

I get the environmental credentials, but I've yet to see anyone use a sawdust scoop. And, when in daylight, you can see into them they're actually full of toilet paper - no sawdust - and drink cans, which aren't going to turn into fertiliser. 

As to "when you can see". In the dark they're an accident waiting to happen. 

They smell something rotten. 

I've yet to find a clean one, or a dry one. I'm certainly not intending sitting down in one. If I need a 💩 I'll either walk to the portaloos back in the car park, or I'll 💩 onto some newspaper in my tent and dispose of the outcome.

The steps up are steep and slippery. Just because most of us are not "disabled" doesn't mean we relish the thought of manoeuvring up, or down those stairs. And in the ones on the roadway down to the Boat I practically had to jump out of it because of its height above the ground and to avoid the worse of the wet mud at the entrance. 

And they're also tight to use. Barely space to turn around especially if you don't want to fall down those ruddy stairs. 

And nowhere to put anything. No hooks, nor dfy or clean space in a corner for a bag and/or a collapsed chair. 

Such a retrograde step. 

I know you sold out again this year, but you'll also be aware there were 3-500 tickets on Twickets right up to opening. 

Line ups like this year's and toilets like these are not going to encourage returners. 

[snipe]

My bloody-minded insistence on bringing a head torch pays off!  There never seems to be much of a queue for them so that's helpful.  

[The Nal]

They're so bad and at time of posting, don't appear to have been cleaned. Saturday morning! Almost up to the level of the bowl now at the Woods. There's "peaks" visible 🤢

[Neil]

22 hours ago, noisenoiseandmorenoise said:

They had these at green Man and apparently they are environmentally friendly and easier to manage so I fear they will now be the norm 

Agree with you though, I was not a fan and later in the festival those metal steps started to feel unsecure.

avoid all the chemicals of turdis's.

[rug568]

20 hours ago, airwaves said:

What wally thought installing these disasters was a good idea???

It takes me back to the worse days of Glasto toilets. 

I get the environmental credentials, but I've yet to see anyone use a sawdust scoop. And, when in daylight, you can see into them they're actually full of toilet paper - no sawdust - and drink cans, which aren't going to turn into fertiliser. 

As to "when you can see". In the dark they're an accident waiting to happen. 

They smell something rotten. 

I've yet to find a clean one, or a dry one. I'm certainly not intending sitting down in one. If I need a 💩 I'll either walk to the portaloos back in the car park, or I'll 💩 onto some newspaper in my tent and dispose of the outcome.

The steps up are steep and slippery. Just because most of us are not "disabled" doesn't mean we relish the thought of manoeuvring up, or down those stairs. And in the ones on the roadway down to the Boat I practically had to jump out of it because of its height above the ground and to avoid the worse of the wet mud at the entrance. 

And they're also tight to use. Barely space to turn around especially if you don't want to fall down those ruddy stairs. 

And nowhere to put anything. No hooks, nor dfy or clean space in a corner for a bag and/or a collapsed chair. 

Such a retrograde step. 

I know you sold out again this year, but you'll also be aware there were 3-500 tickets on Twickets right up to opening. 

Line ups like this year's and toilets like these are not going to encourage returners. 

I mean I've been to some bad toilets in my time but doing a dump onto a newspaper in my own tent would definitely be the worst

[Gatche]

As soon as these appeared at Green Man I stopped going to Green Man - not just because of the disgust at what you can see and smell, but because of the constant banging of the doors when people come out of them.

Found myself unable to sleep or use the facilities on the Green Man site, so on the Friday morning booked myself into a very cheap hotel about 10 miles away and drove into and out of site each day for the rest of the festival and avoiding any booze. Spoils the experience and won't be going back there I'm afraid.

Was booked into End of the Road with my wife in the 'glamping' area and seriously considered not turning up when this was announced, in spite of the fact this would have meant us blowing hundreds of pounds. I get why some prefer the composts to the basic portaloos (though I don't), but the glamping toilets in previous years were significantly better than standard portaloos, so this was a significant change.

In the end I came up with the 'solution' of:

• Eating one small, very plain, non-fibrous meal a day, only drinking lower alcohol drinks I'd brought in myself, and not drinking anything with alcohol later than about 6pm - so EOTR traders lost out on quite a bit of income, and I didn't get to enjoy the variety of culinary delights - the traders should blame EOTR and not me.
• Using Vicks vaporub on my nostrils for the morning pee I needed to have in the glamping toilets - the on site urinals were a bit far away for this - worked well to stop the smell and would recommend.
• Taking the best earplugs I could find (brand called Quies) which were absolutely excellent - though the glamping compost loos didn't have the same banging doors anyway. Recommended for anyone who suffers with festival noise generally, as they blocked out other noises as well.
• On the Friday and Saturday morning, driving to the Tesco in Shaftesbury (they open at 6am, so before I'd wake up - I'd looked it up!) for my morning Number 2 - not sure how this fits with being environmentally better, but it worked for me. The dietary changes I made meant I didn't have quite the same sense of urgency as I normally might at that time of day and my blood alcohol levels wouldn't have been an issue, meaning the drive was comfortable and the toilet was clean. We then left the festival completely at about 9am on Sunday morning, though that was partly so that the Mrs could visit family, not just for my personal needs.....

Anyway, it's been lovely coming to EOTR every year since 2015, but I/we won't be back unless there is some sort of change on this, which I doubt there will be.

From the various people I overheard talking about the change, the majority view was negative and that it came down to these loos probably being cheaper to hire, rather than the environmental reasons which EOTR gave. I've no idea whether or not this is accurate.

[KevRP]

Totally endorse the comments about the toilets, as previously mentioned they're similar to Glastonbury toilets 20 odd years ago. Horrendous by design and stench. The lack of urinals is obvious, the result just too grim for any female attendees.

The only thing that could make things worse would be some blistering sun. Oh wait.. 

[gizmoman]

Is this what we are talking about?

If so it's pretty obvious that these steps are not safe in a festival setting, rain, mud and intoxicated punters will cause slips, there should be a grab rail for each cubicle not just one at the end. Why would you get rid of urinals? they are the simplest to use and easiest to deal with and take pressure off the cubicles.

[airwaves]

@Gatche

As you were glamping and had your own entry/car park you may not have been aware that in the regular car park, at its transition from car park to camper van field, there was a set of usual Andy-loos type of chemical flush toilets. 

I used them on the way in, not knowing if course that inside were all compost looz

[majormajormajor]

12 hours ago, Gatche said:

As soon as these appeared at Green Man I stopped going to Green Man - not just because of the disgust at what you can see and smell, but because of the constant banging of the doors when people come out of them.

Found myself unable to sleep or use the facilities on the Green Man site, so on the Friday morning booked myself into a very cheap hotel about 10 miles away and drove into and out of site each day for the rest of the festival and avoiding any booze. Spoils the experience and won't be going back there I'm afraid.

Was booked into End of the Road with my wife in the 'glamping' area and seriously considered not turning up when this was announced, in spite of the fact this would have meant us blowing hundreds of pounds. I get why some prefer the composts to the basic portaloos (though I don't), but the glamping toilets in previous years were significantly better than standard portaloos, so this was a significant change.

In the end I came up with the 'solution' of:

• Eating one small, very plain, non-fibrous meal a day, only drinking lower alcohol drinks I'd brought in myself, and not drinking anything with alcohol later than about 6pm - so EOTR traders lost out on quite a bit of income, and I didn't get to enjoy the variety of culinary delights - the traders should blame EOTR and not me.
• Using Vicks vaporub on my nostrils for the morning pee I needed to have in the glamping toilets - the on site urinals were a bit far away for this - worked well to stop the smell and would recommend.
• Taking the best earplugs I could find (brand called Quies) which were absolutely excellent - though the glamping compost loos didn't have the same banging doors anyway. Recommended for anyone who suffers with festival noise generally, as they blocked out other noises as well.
• On the Friday and Saturday morning, driving to the Tesco in Shaftesbury (they open at 6am, so before I'd wake up - I'd looked it up!) for my morning Number 2 - not sure how this fits with being environmentally better, but it worked for me. The dietary changes I made meant I didn't have quite the same sense of urgency as I normally might at that time of day and my blood alcohol levels wouldn't have been an issue, meaning the drive was comfortable and the toilet was clean. We then left the festival completely at about 9am on Sunday morning, though that was partly so that the Mrs could visit family, not just for my personal needs.....

Anyway, it's been lovely coming to EOTR every year since 2015, but I/we won't be back unless there is some sort of change on this, which I doubt there will be.

From the various people I overheard talking about the change, the majority view was negative and that it came down to these loos probably being cheaper to hire, rather than the environmental reasons which EOTR gave. I've no idea whether or not this is accurate.

 

Completely agree about the banging of the toilet doors. My wife and I were sitting right up the front of the main stage in our camping chairs waiting for the headliner to come on. Once the King Gizzard came on the banging of the doors was so loud that I could barely hear the band. It completely ruined the experience. We had to pack up our chairs and slowly make our way out of the crowd. Everyone around us looked really upset about the situation too, so we weren't alone. He looked like a fabulous performer too.

We made an official complaint to a festival steward on our way off site.

[The Nal]

All for show too. The staff and performer toilets aren't compost. They've the proper flushing ones. 

[LowerMead]

I've been to EOTR every year since 2008, and remember the days of Andy Loos winning festival awards for 'Best Toilets'.  I also have ulcerative colitis so unfortunately need to go to the loo a lot, and also go to a lot of festivals.  When you're in my position you get to see a lot of festival khazis, I could probably have it as my specialist subject on Mastermind! 

These were just grim. I've got no problems looking at the contents - it's bodily waste, everyone takes a dump. It's the design of the cubicle, and how it contributes to not everything that should be landing in the wheelie bin below actually landing there. Add in the high, slippy steps, nowhere to hang your stuff and, because of the massive lack of urinals, blokes to have a stand-up wee in them when they just need a urinal. 

With the best will in the world some of us chaps miss our aim especially in the dark/when drunk - I always wipe up when I do, but many don't - so the cubicle innards just end up being covered in piss. Men then don't want to lift the seat, so they end up pissing on it even more. I saw someone on Facebook describe the metal steps as 'Urine Waterfalls' - quite true.   Women then have to go and sit down in a piss infested cubicle, nowhere to put their bag, their clothes covered in piss, it's ridiculous.  These were 100% designed by a bloke who has never seen a woman go to the bathroom. 

I know times are hard for everyone, costs are going up, but getting the toilets right is a fundamental thing about running a good festival.  It's nothing to do with green credentials and everything to do with cost. 

Festival Republic might be corporate shysters who fleece you at every opportunity, the antithesis of EOTR, but at least they get the bogs right. I used one at Latitude this year which was probably cleaner than my one at home, on the Sunday.  They had a dedicated team constantly cleaning them. Obviously that costs money, but I honestly thing the average EOTR-er would be happy to pay a little extra for nicer bogs.   

It's not as if they'd blown the budget on the line-up this year, is it?   

 

 

[Mike Hall]

2 hours ago, majormajormajor said:

 

Completely agree about the banging of the toilet doors. My wife and I were sitting right up the front of the main stage in our camping chairs waiting for the headliner to come on. Once the King Gizzard came on the banging of the doors was so loud that I could barely hear the band. It completely ruined the experience. We had to pack up our chairs and slowly make our way out of the crowd. Everyone around us looked really upset about the situation too, so we weren't alone. He looked like a fabulous performer too.

We made an official complaint to a festival steward on our way off site.

😄

[domjon]

I thought they were allright tbh. Was worried about the lack of urinals at first but don't think it made much difference in the end, rarely queued more than a moment or two. 

 

[cariboucactus]

Been coming to EotR for years - toilets the last two years have been awful. My partner had her period - there's zero consideration for that - not even a hook for bags or a light to see what you're doing. Kids found it tough going up the stairs and one friend's little girl, who had come before, was just crying in one saying how much she hated it. End of the Road was always a festival you could rely on for a great lineup and facilities where you didn't feel too grim - not this year. Being reminded of Glasto in the 90s doesn't feel like progress!

[Jeel]

Did they have the same toilets in boutique camping or did they have the usual ones there?

[benali]

1 hour ago, domjon said:

I thought they were allright tbh. Was worried about the lack of urinals at first but don't think it made much difference in the end, rarely queued more than a moment or two. 

 

None of the people I was with had any problems either. 

Understandably there are people with mobility or health issues who might have struggled however for the overwhelming majority of people this is not an issue. Deciding not to come back to the best festival in the country because of toilets that you spend a few minutes a day in is, in my opinion, a frankly ridiculous stance to have.

There were portaloo style toilets in the car park and by Talking Heads if you were adamant that you couldn't use a compost loo. Possibly there were others on site too.

Personally I'd rather focus on the incredible line up, the outstanding musicians I saw and the overwhelmingly friendly crowd than whether there was a hook on the door of the bogs.

[LowerMead]

52 minutes ago, cariboucactus said:

Been coming to EotR for years - toilets the last two years have been awful. My partner had her period - there's zero consideration for that - not even a hook for bags or a light to see what you're doing. Kids found it tough going up the stairs and one friend's little girl, who had come before, was just crying in one saying how much she hated it. End of the Road was always a festival you could rely on for a great lineup and facilities where you didn't feel too grim - not this year. Being reminded of Glasto in the 90s doesn't feel like progress!

Agree with most of that but I don't think it's practical for them to provide a light.  I just carry a small torch in my pocket, the cubicle gets a quick inspection with that on entry after dark, just in case any horrors should be present.  

[The Nal]

2 hours ago, benali said:

Personally I'd rather focus on the incredible line up, the outstanding musicians I saw and the overwhelmingly friendly crowd than whether there was a hook on the door of the bogs.

This is a thread about the bogs though. 

They were grim. 

[Bee bird]

Woman here. I agree with LowerMead, it's a design fail. The problem with saying that it is just 'a few minutes a day,' is that it is multiple times throughout. It makes it harder to enjoy yourself as you know you will be dealing with a piss-covered loo again soon and maybe having another drink isn't the best idea. Women having to constantly clean up after thoughtless men (not everyone - thanks to those who were considerate) isn't cool.

I also found the steps really awkward and was not a fan of the same type of cups being used for the sawdust as at the bar. A plus point was the hand washing facilities - now add some soap dispensers and keep the hand sanitizer topped up at all times please.

It hasn't put me off entirely. I won't be buying an early bird ticket as usual this year though and will wait to see the line up I think. There are so many other great things about the festival. It's just such a shame as the toilet situation used to be so much easier to navigate. 

I would even accept a little bit more queueing for a nicer, cleaner loo experience. I just think that more urinals would make it a better situation for everyone.

[Jeel]

Worth noting that at Green Man they had the same toilets but a male and a female urinals near each stage so there were largely no queues and the majority of people using them would be sitting on them so you mitigate against the urine problem. 

In the set-up EOTR had, the seats were an issue though as they don't always pull up so as a guy you're choosing between sitting down and trying to aim better. Often with dirty seats. I don't really want to try and force a seat up if it's covered in fluids. Not in the pitch black. 

They're so small as well. It's really hard for anyone a little bigger to get into them, then try and turn round with a bag or chair, and then repeat the process. An accident waiting to happen (in more than one way!)