A mother-of-two has expressed her anger after being refused access to toilets at a Liverpool shopping centre because she only had cash and the facility required card payment.
Leanne Gildea, 32, from West Derby, visited St Johns Shopping Centre on Tuesday with her two daughters, aged six and 18 months. She intended to use the toilets before travelling to Southport but discovered the 35p fee could only be paid by card. Despite offering cash, she was turned away.
Ms Gildea said she felt 'embarrassed' and 'disgusted', particularly as her six-year-old daughter has a medical condition and is incontinent. The child is under the care of Alder Hey Children's Hospital. A member of the public eventually paid the fee on his card, allowing the family access.
A spokesperson for St Johns Shopping Centre said: 'We are genuinely sorry to hear about this situation... The accessible toilet is always available free of charge.' They added that the card-only system was introduced to improve hygiene and safety.
