A young girl experienced distress when she accidentally soiled herself while on a shopping trip with her mother, Beth Rudge. The four-year-old urgently informed her mother about her need to use the toilet. Beth, in turn, approached eight different shops, requesting permission to use their facilities as the public restrooms were inconveniently far away. To her disappointment, they were denied access each time.
As a result, her daughter had an accident in the middle of Hanley shopping centre in Staffordshire. Desperate to clean her up, Beth had to purchase baby wipes from Superdrug and then went to Primark to buy replacement underwear, as reported by StokeonTrentLive.
Beth is now urging shop workers to demonstrate greater understanding towards children, senior citizens, and individuals with additional needs who may find themselves in such situations. Although some establishments provided reasons or were on the verge of closing, others outright refused, despite Beth’s willingness to make a purchase as a gesture of goodwill.
Recalling the incident, Beth said, “While shopping in Hanley, my little one suddenly needed to use the toilet. We approached eight different shops, banks, and cafes, but they all turned us down, claiming their toilets were not for customers and directing us to the ones at the top of the Potteries. Even after explaining that she couldn’t make it that far, they remained unwilling to accommodate her. I offered to make a purchase at each store to gain access, but it was to no avail.”
She continued, expressing her frustration, “Normally, we would find an alternative solution, but unfortunately, this time she needed more than just a quick toilet break. My daughter is only four years old, and she ended up having an accident outside Bargain Busters. I am furious.”
Beth shared the challenging aftermath of the incident, stating, “We had to walk through the Potteries Centre with her crying and apologizing for something that wasn’t her fault. We rushed to Superdrug to purchase baby wipes. I cleaned her up, disposed of the wipes and her soiled underwear, and then we went to Primark. She had to walk through Hanley with a messy bottom, all because they wouldn’t allow her to use the restroom. I was deeply upset on her behalf; she felt so embarrassed, saying ‘I can’t go in there, I’ve had an accident,’ while entering Superdrug.”
She concluded by expressing her frustration and disappointment, saying, “It seems either nobody in Hanley ever needs to use the toilet, or they are overly protective of their own facilities. I am extremely angry and upset. It is frustrating to know that every shop, café, bank, and restaurant we approached had toilets, but none of them allowed a four-year-old child to use them. While there may be public restrooms available, they are located at the top of the Potteries Centre, which is too far and too late for children who may not indicate their need to go immediately or for individuals with conditions such as IBS.”
