Britain’s dirtiest public toilets revealed

Based on Google Review data, BusinessWaste.co.uk has ranked the UK cities with the dirtiest and cleanest public toilets. It revealed that York has the dirtiest public toilets in Britain, with an overall hygiene score of -1.5/100.

Despite having just 11 public toilets across the city, more than 32% of reviews mention the word “dirty”, giving York an average Google rating of just 2.8 out of 5. Five of these toilets require payment to use, with most of them receiving negative reviews, such as bad smell, number of flies, lack of soap and broken hand dryers.

Bath ranks second, scoring just 2.1/100 overall. Around 27% of reviews mentioned the word “dirty”, despite 11 out of 14 toilets being paid-for facilities. Some of these reviews noted urine on the floor, excrement in the bowl and also drug needles in the cubicle.

Cambridge takes third place, with an average rating of 3 out of 5, and its toilets receiving a poor overall hygiene score of 8.5/100.

London, in fourth place, has the most public toilets of any UK city with 118 in total, but also a high number of complaints. While only 12.4% of reviews mentioned “dirty”, the fact that there are over 400 such reviews highlight the scale of the challenge that London has in maintaining hygiene across its network of public toilets.

Mark Hall, sanitary waste expert and co-owner at Business Waste, said: “Public toilets are an essential service, yet many people are finding them in a poor state of cleanliness. Dirty toilet facilities not only present a public health concern, but also an accessibility issue for those with disabilities who rely on these spaces every day.

“With studies saying that eight out of 10 people globally have concerns about washroom facilities, it’s likely to be an even higher figure for those with certain physical or cognitive conditions. It means when a facility fails to meet these diverse needs, it directly impacts both businesses and the council’s reputation and revenue.

“Local authorities and businesses should focus on inclusive hygiene, as this will help create better experiences that serve everyone, including the cleaning staff who maintain these vital spaces day to day.”