Forum Topic

Avoid B&Q Chiswick it no longer has toilets for customers, practically no plants in thegarden centre

I have written to B and Q, meanwhile the nearest facilities are probably a tree Gunnersbury Park 200 yards up the North Circular Road over the railway bridge. Be prepared. The question that comes to mind is B&Q running the Chiswick store down to close it?To the CEO of B & QWhere have the toilets gone in B&Q Chiswick? Why has the garden centre got no seasonal stock like trees and shrubs? Are you closing the store?Mr Graham BellCEOB and QUK and IrelandDear Mr Bell,I make no excuses about contacting a man as busy as you are as I was absolutely stunned when I (somewhat painfully) found out that the B&Q Superstore on the Chiswick Rooundabout in London no longer has toilets for customers. When I asked where they were I was told: "We don't have any". There have been toilets there in the past, I know I have made use of them. Is this a new policy for the whole of B&Q or unique to B&Q Chisiwck Roundabout (2 Larch Dr, Gunnersbury Ave, London W4 5QL)?.  As more progressive retailers move towards more enlightened facilities such as baby change and feeding areas. I find this move on the part of your company strange to say the least. I note that on your list of facilitieson the B&Q website  for this store include-Portable induction loops available-Customer wheelchairs available-Disabled parking bays availableBut with all this why no toilets?There is a bathroom showroom showing toilet, you can buy a toilet in the store, but there are no customer toilets for use by customers.I had noticed on recent visits the almost complete lack of living plant stock (to my inconvenience) in the garden centre which should be filled with trees and srhubs that are planted between late Autumn and early Spring, however it is barren. I must ask, are you about to close this store? That is the only explanation that I can find in my mind for the removal of basic sanitary facilities and the abscence of relevant seasonal garden stock?Somewhat flabbergasted,I remain,Yours sincerely,Mark Julian Raymond

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2268d15 Comments

Just like the Minister wants or has removed the very valuable A&E targets because they are so poor and are causing embarrassment and reflect poorly on him and the Govt.

Philippa Bond ● 2259d

Slightly off topic but B&Q related.  Rather than drive I often cycle to B&Q Park Royal if just picking up small and light items.  However access to, and use of, the cycle racks at the front of the buildings was often hindered by storage of bulky building and gardening materials.After I sent in a complaint the situation improved for a few months and then the cycle racks were removed and the area again used for storage.So I can only applaud the good lateral thinking on behalf of the manager.  Maybe somebody complained about the state of the toilets at Chiswick?

Philip Coe ● 2259d

It's alright for all you men!  When I was pregnant we had a plan of Ealing with the loos highlighted.  They're called conveniences for a reason.

Philippa Bond ● 2261d

Mark, you of course are free to interpret my comments as you wish.

Keith Iddon ● 2262d

Keith,You seem to be defending B and Q's lack of sanitary facilities for customers as well as advocating public urinitation in the abscence of police officers? Am I wrong here?

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2262d

I thought those rules depended on the usage of the shop, not the size.Anyway,where are these 'Police officers' going t appear from? I haven't seen one walking around for years, neither do I see many police cars patrolling.I wonder when the last fine for taking a crafty leak behind a bush was issued. Likely laughed out of court I would think.

Keith Iddon ● 2262d

Keith,In this day and age I think that you will probably find that it is illegal to operate an establishment over a certain size without basic sanitation for Health and Safety reasons as well as public liability insurance among others. The assumption in this post-Victorian era is that an establishment will have basic sanitation rather than the reverse.Anyway, who wants to caught short 200 metres from the nearest loo and public urination is subject to a penalty notice, a penalty notice is a fine. Police officers can issue penalty notices to people aged 18 years or older for certain offences. The fine can be £45.00 or £85.00 and includes a £5.00 offender levy. Police can give you a penalty notice instead of prosecuting you for some offences. Urinating in public in England and Wales is an offence punishable with a fine under the 1986 Public Order Act, so it could be an expensive visit to buy a lightbulb!

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2263d

Keith,In this day and age I think that you will probably find that it is illegal to operate an establishment over a certain size without basic sanitation for Health and Safety reasons as well as public liability insurance among others. The assumption in this post-Victorian era is that an establishment will have basic sanitation rather than the reverse.Anyway, who wants to caught short 200 metres from the nearest loo and public urination is subject to a penalty notice, a penalty notice is a fine. Police officers can issue penalty notices to people aged 18 years or older for certain offences. The fine can be £45.00 or £85.00 and includes a £5.00 offender levy. Police can give you a penalty notice instead of prosecuting you for some offences. Urinating in public in England and Wales is an offence punishable with a fine under the 1986 Public Order Act, so it could be an expensive visit to buy a lightbulb!

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2263d

I didn't know they ever had toilets. Do you base all your visits to stores o  whether they have a toilet?

Keith Iddon ● 2263d

The B&Q in Park Royal have no toilet facilities for customers either, this is one reason why I will not visit their store again!They used to have customer toilets but when I enquired I was told they do not provide them now!

Jean F Fernandez ● 2263d

Toilet facilities have been restored at B and Q Chiswick according to senior management. In some stores they may be locked though so it is a matter of asking to be admitted. If  this is refused contact B and Q at a senior level)According to B and Qa) The Chiswick store is not closing down, the freeholder is apparantly doing something creative with the planning permissions and the like, several hundred thousand pounds has been invested in sprucing it upb) B and Q Garden Centres have been cleaned in preparation for Spring planting stock (though I guess this means that there will not be anything relevant to the winter planting seaon in terms of dormant and bare root stockc) B and Q branches in London have been briefed to make toilet facilities available

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2265d

Toilet facilities have been restored at B and Q Chiswick according to senior management. In some stores they may be locked though so it is a matter of asking to be admitted. If  this is refused contact B and Q at a senior level)According to B and Qa) The Chiswick store is not closing down, the freeholder is apparantly doing something creative with the planning permissions and the like, several hundred thousand pounds has been invested in sprucing it upb) B and Q Garden Centres have been cleaned in preparation for Spring planting stock (though I guess this means that there will not be anything relevant to the winter planting seaon in terms of dormant and bare root stockc) B and Q branches in London have been briefed to make toilet facilities available

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2265d

It's being run down as it is soon to be redeveloped and the developers have upped the rent

Raymond Havelock ● 2268d

Philppa, Let us see what BandQ says, if I hear nothing in 24 hours it goes further up the corporate structure. It was the sheer lack of apology and nastiness along with the hovering intimidating security guard when I asked to see the unit manager who of course was havaing a day off. Plus the fact that I dould only get the unit managers first name out of them, haven't Band Q relaized that only crooks hide their surnames?. I have never had a high regard for the Chiswick unit and my experiences today support my avoidance of it in years past

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2268d

Disappointing and surprising that they don't update their website.Maybe this is the answer:https://hounslowchamber.org.uk/8692

Philippa Bond ● 2268d