Toilet humour notably absent at the Barbican

VISITORS to the Barbican Centre are not enjoying their bathroom breaks. The cultural landmark has quietly introduced gender-neutral toilets to the onsite cinema, and while the move aims for equality, it’s causing a stink.

Last night Samira Ahmed, pictured, presenter of Radio 4’s Front Row, was at the Barbican for a screening of I Am Not Your Negro, the acclaimed new film by Raoul Peck. But it was the toilets which left an impression: the signs for the gents and ladies have been changed to “genderneutral, with urinals” and

“ge n d e r- n e u t r a l , w i t h cubicles”, leading to crowding in the women’s.

“Give us back women’s loos for ALL women,” she tweeted, after finding the room overrun with both sexes. “Why do women lose our space to men!? All women can use ladies loos. Thi s isn’t the USA.”

Ahmed isn’t the only visitor to complain. “Never seen

HE GAMBLED with the country’s future, so it’s no surprise David Cameron is heading to Las Vegas — the former PM is there next month to speak at the SALT hedge fund conference, which guests pay $7,500 to attend. Cameron’s talk is called so many confused and desperate people!” one attendee tweeted recently. “Barbican now has gender-neutral toilets,” another announced, “they just changed the signs, formerly male ones state they have urinals. Guess what happens?”

Ahmed added that she spoke to staff at the centre who, she says, admitted they had already pointed out internally that they thought the transformation was a mistake. “Listen to your customers,” Ahmed said. “Women have enough trouble with queues without you imposing your politics. Or just turn the gents into gender-neutral loos. There’s never such a queue there and you know it.” The Barbican responded: “We welcome feedback from audience members about how this new system is working as we look to ensure an outstanding audience experience for all who visit the centre.”

Across the Pond — he will be interviewed by US financier David Rubenstein at the Bellagio hotel. Also talking are former US vice-president Joe Biden and boxer Mike Tyson, who closes the event. Hopefully not with a roundhouse.