A drunk woman urinated on the floor of a beauty salon in Cork, Ireland, after staff refused her access to the toilet because it was reserved for paying customers. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at the House of Nails salon, leaving staff described as 'traumatised'.
Salon incident details
The woman, who was said to be fuming, entered the salon and asked to use the toilet. When staff explained it was for customers only, she began yelling, then ranted and raved during the row before dropping her trousers and purposefully urinating on the floor.
Salon owner Aga Deryng said: "They (staff) are traumatised. I was so sorry for them that I wasn't there at the time to help. The woman had obviously been day drinking; she was shouting, so my staff were obviously very scared."
Safety concerns in Cork city centre
One staff member reportedly ran out to avoid witnessing the act, and the staff had to clean up afterwards. Deryng described it as "so disgusting and so unfair".
This is not an isolated incident. The manager revealed that one staff member was recently mugged while leaving work, and on another occasion, staff had to clean up faeces from the front entrance. The salon overlooks Bishop Lucey Park, where Deryng said they watch groups of people drinking and doing drugs every day.
Calls for more Garda presence
Deryng is calling on other businesses to demand increased Garda patrols in the area. She said: "It is only getting worse. We used to see Gardaí on patrol. Earlier in the year, we would actually see Gardaí on patrol around here. But now, especially as the days are getting darker with winter coming, I am really worried about it and my staff."
She added: "There needs to be more Gardaí, or even if the council could have some sort of security. It just can't go on like this, we should all be able to feel safe at work. We don’t feel safe working in Cork City Centre anymore."
Deryng emphasised that this is not an isolated incident, noting that staff and clients are increasingly concerned about public intoxication, suspected drug use, and antisocial behaviour in the area. She acknowledged that homelessness and addiction are complex issues requiring appropriate support, but stressed that people working, living, and visiting Cork City Centre also deserve to feel safe, calling for more visible Garda presence as winter approaches.
