Lack of public toilets in Liverpool city centre ‘disgraceful’ - full list of free loos

I’m pretty sure we’ve all faced the issue of suddenly needing the toilet when out and about, and having that moment of panic where you’re racing to find a public loo. But, the problem seems especially apparent in Liverpool city centre, with locals condemning a ‘disgraceful’ lack of toilets.

The recent closure of Church Street’s Marks and Spencer, has brought the issue to the fore. The Compton House store was the ‘go to’ place for many, with dozens of free, clean loos available.

Of course it is not the responsibility of retailers to ensure adequate numbers of public toilets, however as the recently opened M&S in Liverpool ONE now only features one loo, calls for more free public toilets in the city centre are increasing.

Demand for more toilets

We asked our readers for their recommendations for toilets in the city centre and received a huge number of comments criticising the lack of free facilities, with many asking Liverpool City Council to rectify the issue.

However, others were angry at the lack of toilets in the Liverpool ONE bus station, were you would expect to find a loo. Others said they were happy to pay for the Liverpool ONE facilities on Wall Street or pop into John Lewis.

• One reader said: “It’s disgraceful the lack of toilets everywhere there are lots of people with bladder problems and also the elderly who can’t walk to fast or wait to long for the toilet. Come on Liverpool City Council and all you big stores make spending a penny in your stores as easy as you make spending pounds.”
• Another added: “The local authority is to provide public toilets, not shops. Try pointing the finger towards the city council and ask them why they squirrel money away from public conveniences.”
• Another said: “It’s disgraceful that L1 bus station doesn’t have a toilet too. @merseytravel should address this.”
• A reader added: “I always use the paid toilets in L1. Because they are manned they are always clean and fresh. I can totally empathise, when I’m John Lewis last week all toilets were shut at 7pm.”
• And another said: “ When I was studying in Liverpool it was very easy to find a loo and a public one at that. Now they are all coded, charging or gone as shops have changed hands. Actually now M&S have moved, there are no toilets that end of the city for people who used to pop into M&S, visit the loo, get food then the bus home. Even the big car park has closed theirs.”

Calls for public toilets aren’t only a recent phenomenon though, with TripAdvisor and Reddit threads going back years discussing the lack of loos in Liverpool.

And, the issue isn’t exclusive to Liverpool. A 2019 report titled ‘Taking the p***: The decline of the Great British Toilet’ noted that three in four people in the UK think there are not enough public toilets in their area.

Free toilets in Liverpool city centre, according to the Great British Toilet Map

*Please note, we have not included train station toilets where a ticket is required to gain access. Some of the toilets listed are intended for customer use only. Information about accessible facilities was not available for some toilets listed.

• Albert Dock Public toilet. Opening hours unavailable. Accessible toilet available.
• The Bluecoat, School Lane - open 11.00 to 5.00pm every day.
• Central Library, William Brown Street - open 9.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am to 5.00pm Saturday.
• FACT, Wood Street - 11.00am to 10.00pm every day.
• John Lewis, Liverpool ONE - open 10.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 7.00pm Saturday and 11.00 to 5.00pm Sunday.
• Liverpool Lime Street Station - open 3.15am to 12.40am Monday to Friday, 3:15am to 12.35am Saturday and 7.00am to 12.30am Sunday. Radar key required for accessible toilet.
• Maritime Museum - open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
• McDonalds, Lord Street - open 24 hours.
• Metquarter, Whitechapel - open 9.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Saturday and 11.00am to 5.00pm Sunday. Accessible toilets.
• Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head - open 10.00am to 5.00pm every day.
• Walker Art Gallery, William Brown Street - open 10.00am to 5.00pm every day.
• World Museum, William Brown Street - open 10.00am to 5.00pm every day.

Other toilets in Liverpool city centre

• Paid toilets are also available in Liverpool ONE, next to the information centre on Wall Street. The cost is 30p per visit and only card payment is accepted. Use of the accessible facilities are free.
• St John’s Shopping Centre toilets are 20p per visit and a disabled toilet can be accessed with a radar key - open from 9.00 to 6.00pm Monday to Wednesday, 9.00 to 7.00pm Thursday, 9.00 to 6.00pm Friday and Saturday and 11.00am to 5.00pm Sunday.

LiverpoolWorld has contacted Liverpool City Council for a comment.