Coronavirus has drastically changed the way we live our lives, and once we are out of lockdown, those changes will continue to be felt.
One of those may be an end to men’s urinals, with a leading expert suggesting that gender-neutral toilets could be the best way forward.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, the British Toilet Association’s managing director Raymond Martin explained how he had been advising councils and companies on best hygiene practice.
But as well as proposing the introduction of self-closing seats, foot-controlled flushing, and new soap dispensers, Mr Martin suggested more drastic measures could be useful in the post-pandemic world.
Rather than using separate facilities, Mr Martin proposed introducing a one-way, gender neutral toilet, which would see men and women queue up at one door and then exit on the other side.
Mr Martin told the paper that it was a matter of ‘public health’, which is of paramount importance.
He said: “The way the world is going, the traditional public convenience is becoming a thing of the past.
“Toilets have a massive commercial effect on an area, which is why they are one of the first things you plan in any new shopping centre.
“It’s going to cost a lot of money, but if we want to get back outdoors, to socialise, to go to parks and beaches, then the Government has to step in.
“We want to bring back life to this country, and toilets are a vital part of that.”
The pandemic has also affected the world of arts and entertainment. But after many weeks, Emmerdale is now one of the first shows to get back to work and producers have shared snaps from the set to show what filming looks like with social distancing rules being fully implemented.
The ITV soap posted some snaps to its Instagram account, with one of the show’s producers announcing the exciting return and how it would work.
She said: “Hi everyone. So we’re back on set today with Emmerdale today, shooting our very special lockdown episodes.
“We’re just currently on set with Cain and Aaron, working through our scenes.
“We’re social distancing on set and off set, which is not easy but we’re getting used to it.
“And I think everybody feels great to be back and we can’t wait to make some more new episodes for you. Take care.”
