Dirty politics (From Durham Times)

The council is reported to be spending £36 million in a bid to become city of culture. The city is already rife with culture like the microbial and bacterial cultures that abound in the public toilets in the Gates shopping centre. What a filthy disgusting mess they are. There was rubbish in the wcs, no toilet paper, peeling paint and filth all over the place. A complete lack of changing facilities for children made my visit there with my 3 year old daughter a revolting nightmare. I noted that there was a sign on the disabled toilets saying a key for this facility which doubled as parent and baby changing was available in the tourist information centre. If I had taken my daughter to the tourist information centre I could easily have used the toilet facilities there. Eventually I had to do that anyway as I refused to use the filthy Gates toilets for a second time. But having to carry a damp and distressed child half way across town in search of somewhere half civilised to change her was neither an easy nor pleasant experience for either of us. We were allowed to use the facilities in the Town Hall which were excellent. I mentioned to the people there that we had been to The Gates and how revolting the toilets there are. I was advised that there were facilities in both Boots and BHS. I pointed out that these would only be available during shop opening hours and therefore no good at all after 5:30. Some of the money being spent on the grandiose gamble for the City of culture application and moving statues might be better spent on providing decent family friendly facilities for those of us who live in Durham.
Peter Dawson