Crying foul over comfort stops
Restaurant owner is fed up with bus drivers using his business’s restroom
A RESTAURANT owner has sent a $10,998 invoice to his city’s mayor for the ‘‘hurt and humiliation’’ of having to clean up after bus drivers he says use his toilets as a restroom.
Mark Keddell, from White Rabbit on Customs St, in central Auckland, says bus drivers whose routes terminate in the city park outside his restaurant, then come inside to use the toilets, without asking permission and are careless in their aim.
He has written a letter to Auckland City mayor Len Brown, with the invoice attached, outlining the foul messes he says he is ‘‘personally sick of having to clean up’’.
Keddell said his staff tried hard to look after customers with boutique soaps, seat sanitisers and cloth hand-towels because clean bathrooms reflected on the restaurant itself.
Keddell and his executive chef, Sean Marshall, had been cleaning the toilets themselves and had resorted to taking photos of bus drivers who used the facilities and the state they left the toilets in. ‘‘I can’t ask my staff to clean them when they are in this state, so I have to do it myself,’’ Keddell said.
He said drivers ‘‘slipped in’’ through a side entrance and avoided talking to staff.
There were few nearby public toilets, so ‘‘I sympathise to a point’’ but he wanted his business respected.
Keddell received a quick reply from Brown’s chief-of-staff, Phil Wilson, who said he would brief the mayor, and personally raise it with Auckland Transport chief executive David Warburton.
Wilson said he was sure ‘‘some influence’’ could be exerted on bus companies, adding: ‘‘[I’m] very sorry for the situation that exists.’’
Auckland Transport bus services manager Brendon Main said he would contact Keddell.
‘‘It is inappropriate for drivers to use private facilities and I will be saying that to the drivers’ employers and Auckland Transport will work with the employers to find alternatives for the drivers.’’
Auckland Transport is the council-controlled organisation of Auckland Council responsible for transport projects and services. Bus companies contract to Auckland Transport.
Keddell was pleased at the reaction from Auckland Council and Auckland Transport. ‘‘But it’s terrible it’s got to this stage and I have to bother people with more important things to deal with. I’m glad they’ve got back to me, but the proof is in the pudding – I’d like to see the consequences.’’ And he does want his invoice paid.