Pub toilets: Loo-py idea has city's publicans feeling flushed

The News revealed last week that the number of licensed premises in Edinburgh had fallen by more than 11 per cent, from 1,920 to 1,700, in just a year. Those in the trade blame the impact of the recession, together with strict new rules, such as the smoking ban and restrictions on happy hours and other alcohol promotions.

The publicans' cause hasn't exactly been helped by some barmy new conditions that have to be met to get a licence renewed. Last year we told how local barmen were to be barred from asking drinkers "same again?" – and obliged to offer them a glass of water instead.

Today, we can reveal that the nonsense continues.

All pubs in Edinburgh have been told that they have to provide equal toilet facilities for men and women if they want to stay open.

On paper, this may seem fair and equitable. And it does make absolute sense when awarding new licences and when it comes to trendier bars which should be obliged to cater equally to gents and ladies.

But the honourable battle for equal gender rights has surely gone mad when it is made to apply to older, more traditional boozers which appeal much more to men than women – often, it has to be said, because female drinkers have higher standards.

Many of these pubs are rarely full other than before football matches or during televised games – again, when most of the clientele will be men.

Then there is the practical difficulty of converting facilities in old buildings which were never designed to provide two large toilet areas. Not to mention the cost of undertaking such renovations in these tough times.

Glasgow has already ruled out these loo-py new rules. Edinburgh should follow and flush them away.

Pay through nozzle

THE steady and inexorable increase in the price of petrol has recently become a surge.

Not long after we were bemoaning the 1 litre, suddenly the average cost across the Capital is more like 1.20 – and sometimes higher.

Increases of 10p a litre since the start of the year have been largely down to the rising cost of crude oil. But about half of the money you pay at the pump goes to the Government in duty.

Every general election tends to focus on a few "dog whistle" issues. Don't be surprised if this one catches light on the sparks of drivers' anger.