WOMEN are furious they have to pay 20p to spend a penny in a Witney shopping centre’s toilets – despite men being able to go free of charge.

Concerns have been raised over the alleged ‘inequality’ of the toilets in Marriott’s Walk. At the moment, women and disabled people have to pay to use a cubicle if they want to have a wee, but men are able to use the urinals free of charge.

Some residents and councillors are fed up of the ‘archaic’ system and have urged the management of the shopping centre to bring its loos into the 21st century.

Grandmother-of-four Maggie Newton is the leader of Doing It Together To Overcome (DITTO), a charity which supports disabled and vulnerable people in and around the Witney area.

When she first heard about the charge she was stunned, and chose to raise it at the recent Witney Vision meeting at the Corn Exchange about creating a community-led plan for the town’s future

The 57-year-old said: “I just can’t believe there is still this level of discrimination and inequality in this day and age. Men have got a choice, but women and the disabled don’t.

“If you’re male you’ve got no worries and you just walk in. I spoke to the man at Marriott’s Walk who told me that if men want to use a cubicle they have to pay – but for us there isn’t that choice.

“I can’t just say it’s sexist because the disabled are affected to. There is sometimes call for positive discrimination but I cannot see any justification for this kind of discrimination.”

Mrs Newton believes that the charge should be introduced across the board or removed entirely in the interest of fairness.

She continued: “What I’m saying is keep it equal. At the moment women and disabled people are covering the cost of cleaning the men’s toilets. We don’t want to pay to clean the men’s toilets.

“It all seems a bit archaic, like we’re going back in time.”

Councillors in the area have joined calls for change to the toilet charge.

Town mayor Chris Holliday said: “Men don’t pay, but when you want a pee you want a pee whether you’re a man or a woman. It is a bit unfair.”

County and town councillor for Witney Laura Price said she believes the 20p charge affects people who may need toilet facilities most, and said the charge should be removed completely.

She said: “It is archaic and unfair. At the end of the day people need to have access to toilets. Unfortunately, if you’re old, have a disability, a mental health problem or learning difficulty, or if you’re the parent of young children you’re getting penalised.

“It’s not just a question of equity. It’s a question of awarding everybody some level of dignity.

“I think when you think about who this charge has an impact on versus who doesn’t really need to think about it, you realise that actually you’re putting barriers there for people who have enough barriers in their life.”

The management at Marriott’s Walk did not respond to the Oxford Mail’s request for comment.