View some public toilets Dec 16th 2010 in a larger map
The third CROW walk set out to investigate some of Belfast’s public conveniences and so doing had an opportunity to think about the term public. We took in 11 toilets in all, some permanent, some temporary, some automatic and even one nocturnal urinal.
The first port of call was St Anne’s Cathedral where there is a staff toilet with disabled access that the public can use on request. St Anne’s sees a large turnover of tourists each year. From there we progressed to Custom House Sq where there is an automatic, self-cleaning unisex toilet, which is maintained by Belfast City Council. To spend a penny here will set you back 20p. The next stop was at another council maintained facility on Church Lane, which Mike had recollected as having being attended. There were no attendants but the toilet, sporting 5 stars, had been awarded a ‘loo of the year’ award. From here we progressed to the Victoria Centre, a large shopping centre on several levels with covered streets. The loos here were accessed from the street by a lift which takes you to the level below. There was a queue on our arrival so onwards towards the City Hall where the continental market was in full swing.
Because of the temporary market the City Hall provided a plethora of toilets. Servicing the market there was a ring of portaloos sandwiched between the front of the City Hall and the rear of the statue of Queen Victoria. The facilities inside the city hall were more regal with separate toilets for men women and disabled users. Outside again and to the East side there was a portacabin for the use of stallholders at the market.
We made our way south calling in on the Ulster Hall where there are women’s and disabled toilets located near the entrance. These are particularly well crafted; a row oak stalls with terrazzo floors, which curve up to meet the base of the stalls. On towards Shaftesbury Sq to our final port of call but with a nod to the now closed Victorian underground toilets. The last stop was another toilet that couldn’t be put to the test. It is only operational at night when a large bollard like form with 3 inset urinals emerges from the ground to service the crowds coming out of local pubs and clubs. Some of the group had seen it at night in operation but no one had ever seen it rise from the ground. We wondered if this ultimate in public toilets operated in inverse to public parks opening hours, between the hours of dusk and dawn!
