Superloos are so good

I find your report on the elderly not going out as often as they would like, due to the lack of public toilets, quite strange.

Here in Wolverhampton we have an excellent set of facilities in the Pipers Row Bus Station.

For those of us who remember the obscene, dark and dingy facilities, with their ever present threat of muggings, we say thank-you to Centro for providing us pensioners with a watering hole before we start our shopping and a haven of relief before we return home.

Thank-you also to the city council for having the sagacity to provide the five-star facilities that we have in the city centre.

When the Over-50s Forum was campaigning for better facilities at which we could spend a penny, the major request of more than 90 per cent of the pensioners we interviewed was for the siting of public conveniences in the city centre.

Time and again people asked for the return of the basement toilets in Queen's Square alongside the statue of Prince Albert. Obviously, because of modern legislation, this was impossible. However, the council design team came up with first class facilities in Victoria Street – a 21st Century scheme for a 21st Century city!

The council ought to be congratulated upon their foresight and willingness to go against current trends. The very high standards of hygiene, civility and the genuine desire of the staff to offer a service are to be saluted

I can only assume Mr Mellor had his tongue in his cheek when he spoke of the public facilities in Chapel Ash! This was a unit that was well past its sell-by date when it closed more than ten years ago. Imagine the cost of refurbishing this unit today! The mind boggles!

May I also point out that despite Mr Mellor's assumptions, there is very little belief among the general public today that "toilets should be the responsibility of private traders".

Jean Girdler, Chair, Over-50s Loo, Sub-Committee, Clarence Road, Bilston.