Manchester is predicted to be one of the first cities in the UK to lose all its public toilets, according to a new study.
Apparently, data shows the city will have nowhere to wee for free by the time 2059 rolls around.
For some Mancs, it’s probably not a thought that crosses your mind very often, but for those with weaker bladders, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed public toilets are much thinner on the ground and a lot harder to come by these days – especially here in Manchester.
And it turns out there’s good reason for that, as our city has ranked among the top 10 UK cities that are most-likely to lose their loos within the next couple of decades.
According to a new study carried out by bathroom specialists Victorian Plumbing, the number of public toilets in the UK has dropped from 6,087 in 2000, to just 3,990 over the last 10 years, and if it continues at this rate, the current trajectory is predicting a future where the country’s streets lack free lavatories altogether.
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Experts say this would lead to a public health crisis that “disproportionately affects people with disabilities or ill health”, as well as the elderly, women, outdoor workers, and the homeless too.
The company’s research has discovered that Manchester is one of the worst-affected regions in the UK when it comes to the rapid decline in public toilets – with only seven estimated in the area currently, and a loss of 2.1% per year.
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Top 10 UK cities most likely to lose their public toilets
Newcastle
Birmingham
Plymouth
Manchester
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Preston
Salford
Liverpool
Lancaster
Manchester takes the fourth spot on the list, with our fellow Greater Manchester neighbours Salford also claiming eighth place, and the rest of the top 10 list overwhelmingly featuring other northern cities like Preston, Lancaster, and Liverpool.
“It may seem like a trivial thing to worry about, but the dwindling number of public toilets speaks to a broader issue of societal neglect,” comments Brenna Ryan, from Victorian Plumbing.
Data shows the city will have nowhere to wee for free by the time 2059 rolls around / Credit: Supplied
Urging the UK Government to “take action”, Brenna added: “Every year, the number of public toilets decrease, and with it, so does our promise of a basic human right – the right to sanitation. It’s not just about answering nature’s call, but about upholding the dignity of everyone, irrespective of age, gender, or social status.”
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Victorian Plumbing has now launched a petition calling on local authorities to provide public toilets by law – with more than 2,000 people and counting having put their names to it.
“It’s high time we voice our concerns, rally behind the need for accessible public toilets, and urge our Government to understand that this isn’t just about toilets, but about the dignity, health, and wellbeing of everyone,” Brenna concluded.
Everything inside the Sephora VIP goodie bags worth more than £1,000
Daisy Jackson
Sephora opening in Manchester has been causing a bit of a stir, with more than 2,000 people queueing up this week to try and nab a free goodie bag.
And while the presents being handed out to the public are pretty impressive, it’s nothing compared to the VIP goodie bags given out at the store’s official launch on Wednesday.
A number of celebrities, influencers, press and other special guests were invited to have a sneak peek of the huge new shop at the Trafford Centre before its official opening to the public.
At the glittering celebration, VIPs were given a glimpse at the huge range of products on offer inside Sephora’s first UK store outside of London.
Those in attendance included actor and TV presenter actor Katie Mcglynn, TV personality Caroline Thomas, actress Alex Fletcher and radio one presenter Natalie O’Leary, Real Housewives of Cheshire, Love Island personalities, and professional footballer Courtney Duffus.
Special guests of Sephora were then sent home with the goodie bag to end all goodie bags, stuffed full of full-sized cult products.
And having totted up the value of everything inside, we can confirm that each goodie bag is worth more than a grand (£1092.93, to be exact). Wowsers.
Olaplex No.3Viral hair product minisBrazilian Bum Bum CreamJust a few of the cult items inside the Sephora VIP goodie bags. Credit: The Manc Group
Viral products inside include Makeup By Mario lipstick, Olaplex, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Glossier You perfume, and MorrocanOil hair treatments.
There are also TikTok sensations like the Dr Jart Tiger Grass treatment, which comes out of its tub green but magically turns beige on the skin, cancelling out redness.
And Tarte’s take on the revolutionary tubing mascara, which comes off your lashes with only water and a wipe, was also chucked in.
The most high-value items in the Sephora goodie bags were an Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream worth £64, Caudalie’s brightening serum at £52, and a Neom candle for £38.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ Channel 4 dating show
Emily Sergeant
Those who consider themselves to be pretty unlucky-in-love can now apply to take part in one of the most “unique” dating shows on TV.
Following the undoubted success of the first series – which has been airing on E4 for the past couple of weeks now, before concluding last Thursday (9 May) – Channel 4 has now put out a nationwide casting call for people to take part in the next series of its newest dating game show, Love Triangle.
And the show’s producers are calling on singletons from Greater Manchester to stick an application in.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ TV dating show / Credit: Channel 4
Unfamiliar with Love Triangle?
Based off the US and Australian programmes of the same name, the UK version is a so-called “supersized” take on the show, and it seeks to “turn everything you know about dating on its head”.
In what is a first of its kind for UK television, the brand-new relationship format asks six courageous singles to reject all the conventions and pitfalls of modern app-based dating in favour of a “radical” new approach.
Channel 4 is currently casting across the UK for the next series of Love Triangle / Credit: Channel 4
The six contestants will first choose a love match from two potential suitors.
One match embodies each single’s usual wants, type, and desires, while the other reflects their deeper and more “fulfilling” romantic needs.
After choosing one of the suitors to date, the other will then make a “shocking surprise return” to form a love triangle, and then, after dating and living with both suitors, each single faces a choice – they must pick one of their matches to “pursue lasting love”.
The casting call for contestants on the Channel 4 website reads: “In this unique relationship series reflecting dating in the real world, unlucky-in-love singles are matched with two potential partners, who each tick different boxes of their wants and needs, in the hopes of finding long-lasting love.”
To apply for the show, you just need to be 18 years of age or older, a resident of the UK, and crucially, single and “looking for love”.