Well, the one facility in a pub which is guaranteed to be used by the customer is the toilet. So, does it matter what the loo is like, so long as you have one?
Am I concerned about accessibility? By which I don’t mean whether those among us with disabilities can use the toilets, although that is important to achieve if you can. I’m also not referring to how far the toilets are away from the bar – certain national chain pubs sometimes stretch the term ‘convenience’ to its limit.
How about capacity? Do you really need a lav which accommodates a crowd? If you have a wine bar you might get away with fairly limited facilities but if you’re selling 30 casks of real ale a week, you’ll probably want a few more wee stations. Queues for loos are not popular!
However, important though these considerations are in enhancing your customer’s visit to your venue, they are not the most important lavatorial factor.
Just a few years ago, a survey was carried out which asked a cross-section of customers the reasons why they would re-visit a pub. You would think that it might be the food, the beer, the service….but no. For both sexes and for all ages, the No1 answer was cleanliness of toilets. Remember, people pride themselves on keeping their home toilet clean, so why should they use as dirty, dilapidated one….and pay for the privilege?
It is vital to make your loos as pleasant as possible. I referred earlier to the distance to a certain chain’s toilets. However, when you finish the toilet-trek, you’ll find that they have made strenuous efforts to make them welcoming. You’ll seldom hear a complaint about the actual facilities, just their remoteness!
| Duncan says: “Whether your pub possesses a marble palace or a humble outside privy, make sure you keep it fresh and clean. I guarantee that your customers will be back to spend more pennies in your pub.” |