Blackburn toilet attendant flushed with success (From Blackburn Citizen)
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Blackburn toilet attendant flushed with success
5:00pm Sunday 10th February 2013 in News
A TOILET attendant at The Mall in Blackburn is flushed with success after being named the best in the UK.
The Mall’s bathroom facilities were also stamped with a ‘platinum grading’ by the National Loo of the Year Awards.
The judging panel, which is widely regarded as the standard setters for ‘away from home’ facilities, said the shopping centre receached the highest grade possible.
Each entry is assessed against 100 judging criteria including signage and décor, fixtures and fittings and overall standards of cleanliness and management.
In January, judges from the outfit turned up unannounced to scour the centre, brandishing clipboards.
Now, after checking the facilities every 20 minutes each shift for the past five years, Peter Haddock has been honoured for his hard work.
The 64-year-old of Shear Brow said: “I’m really happy. It’s so nice to be appreciated for keeping the toilets clean.
“I often get people saying to me that these are the cleanest ones in the town and the only ones they’ll use.”
Mr Haddock was presented with his certificate by his manager, to a round of applause from his colleagues.
Working at the shopping centre for a total of eight years, Mr Haddock has become somewhat of a fixture.
He said: “It’s not as easy to do the job as you might think, you do need quite a strong stomach.
“I’ve had a bloke take over for me before, and he turned round to me and said he has no idea how I can do it.
“Generally people in Blackburn are quite neat and tidy, but sometimes you get one that makes an awful mess.”
The certificates for the facilities and their steward are now hung proudly in the facilities at The Mall.
Loraine Jones, general manager at the centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted.
“Peter works tirelessly to ensure that our toilets are spotless and he thoroughly deserves this accolade.”
Mike Bone, managing director of the awards, said: “The Mall achieved the highest possible grade and must be complimented on providing attractive, clean and hygienic facilities to meet the needs of all types of users.
“The cleaners are also to be congratulated and recognised for their contribution to the Mall toilets success."
Comments(18)
2 for 5p
says...
5:46pm Sun 10 Feb 13
M.DANNY wrote:You do talk some twaddle don't you.
I was talking to one the cleaners in the Mall about a week ago and the cleaner told me that there are still too many empty shop units in the Blackburn Mall.
With HMV closing down and the Mall has not attracted many stores like jack&jones store,miss selfridge,poundland,
starbucks,curry digital,krispie kreme,footlocker,wat
erstone,internationa
le,clas oholson,perfect home,disney store,poundland and many more.The cleaner told me i still prefer to go to Preston and Manchester because the mall hasn't got much to offer.I agree with the cleaner that i have to go Preston and Manchester because Mall Blackburn just didn't attract more stores to Blackburn.Whats having best cleaned loos when our shopping centre hasn't attracted more stores and there are still more shop units empty.
Pearl neclesse
says...
5:51pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Dirty barsturds!
Is Eckersley playing?
says...
5:55pm Sun 10 Feb 13
2 for 5p wrote:What a bloody negative, ill judged rant. Can you not see this man should be commended by all who use the toilets in the Mall. Yet you choose to talk about the shops. Whats that got to do with this man doing a superb job? Give him a bit of praise, for Gods sake!
M.DANNY wrote:You do talk some twaddle don't you.
I was talking to one the cleaners in the Mall about a week ago and the cleaner told me that there are still too many empty shop units in the Blackburn Mall.
With HMV closing down and the Mall has not attracted many stores like jack&jones store,miss selfridge,poundland,
starbucks,curry digital,krispie kreme,footlocker,wat
erstone,internationa
le,clas oholson,perfect home,disney store,poundland and many more.The cleaner told me i still prefer to go to Preston and Manchester because the mall hasn't got much to offer.I agree with the cleaner that i have to go Preston and Manchester because Mall Blackburn just didn't attract more stores to Blackburn.Whats having best cleaned loos when our shopping centre hasn't attracted more stores and there are still more shop units empty.
icannotrace
says...
6:21pm Sun 10 Feb 13
.
Well done Peter.
2 for 5p
says...
6:22pm Sun 10 Feb 13
juanbbien
says...
6:49pm Sun 10 Feb 13
2 for 5p wrote:I'll second that
M.DANNY wrote:You do talk some twaddle don't you.
I was talking to one the cleaners in the Mall about a week ago and the cleaner told me that there are still too many empty shop units in the Blackburn Mall.
With HMV closing down and the Mall has not attracted many stores like jack&jones store,miss selfridge,poundland,
starbucks,curry digital,krispie kreme,footlocker,wat
erstone,internationa
le,clas oholson,perfect home,disney store,poundland and many more.The cleaner told me i still prefer to go to Preston and Manchester because the mall hasn't got much to offer.I agree with the cleaner that i have to go Preston and Manchester because Mall Blackburn just didn't attract more stores to Blackburn.Whats having best cleaned loos when our shopping centre hasn't attracted more stores and there are still more shop units empty.
icannotrace
says...
6:53pm Sun 10 Feb 13
2 for 5p wrote:No it's not, Peter's just a everyday bloke doing a job providing a much needed service to the community, that no doubt some people would say they'd rather sit on the dole than do and doing it the best he can. I don't think I could do it (unless there was no alternative) but hope if I did I would take a pride in it. How much would the UK be a better place if more people actually took a pride in their work and everyone worked together rather than holding their hands out every 5 minutes and complain.
He cleans the privy. Not exactly rocket sceince.
Pearl neclesse
says...
6:59pm Sun 10 Feb 13
" no dear, use the toilet brush like the rest of us"
sean_brfc
says...
7:32pm Sun 10 Feb 13
M.Danny please stop repeating the ame old crap.
burner
says...
8:21pm Sun 10 Feb 13
M.DANNY
says...
8:41pm Sun 10 Feb 13
I agree with the cleaner i told the cleaner we go to Preston too because there are not the stores we were looking for in Blackburn.Loraine Jones did say the mall will attract more stores to Blackburn and the shops will be filled by December 2011.
Jack & jones ,miss selfridge,krispie kreme,waterstone,Int
ernacionale,footlock
er,perfect home,poundland,starb
uck,disney store,curry pc world,westcoast and many more are missing in the mall..
M.DANNY
says...
9:12pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Big name stores want to open stores in Bolton and Preston but not in Blackburn. Why ? They say Blackburn is small town not viable place to do business from a manager of well known store.
Retail capital in Lancashire is Preston so Blackburn does not attract more big name stores.
I went to Doncaster to see my relative and their shopping mall was opened in same year as Blackburn Mall but their Shopping Mall is completely filled with stores like class ohlson,disney stores,waterstones,j
ack&jones,miss selfridge,internacio
nale,Beaverbrooks,mo
nsoon,wilkinson and many more.
fireonthemountain
says...
11:28pm Sun 10 Feb 13
we NEVER go to Blackburn to shop .
You can only park in very unfriendly places .
You walk around watching out for
vermin . Druggies and muggers .
As if the population are interested in the likes of Waterstones and Disney .
Where are the quality shoe shops ?
Where are the quality sports shops?
Book shops , toy shops , stationers ,
Etc ?
Horrible horrible place .
10/10 for the loo cleaner by the way .
Incidentally the ASDA nearby is the worst on the planet .
Preston and Bolton are so superior
Manchester - magnificent .
And the Queens Park Hospital is also
repulsive .
Come to Darwen - much nicer place .
Fire Fly
says...
1:55am Mon 11 Feb 13
It's quite humbling to be honest to find someone in that line of work taking such pride.
happycyclist
says...
8:33am Mon 11 Feb 13
Major Tom
says...
4:21pm Mon 11 Feb 13
chammy
says...
7:44pm Mon 11 Feb 13
M.DANNY says...
5:35pm Sun 10 Feb 13
With HMV closing down and the Mall has not attracted many stores like jack&jones store,miss selfridge,poundland,
starbucks,curry digital,krispie kreme,footlocker,wat
erstone,internationa
le,clas oholson,perfect home,disney store,poundland and many more.The cleaner told me i still prefer to go to Preston and Manchester because the mall hasn't got much to offer.I agree with the cleaner that i have to go Preston and Manchester because Mall Blackburn just didn't attract more stores to Blackburn.Whats having best cleaned loos when our shopping centre hasn't attracted more stores and there are still more shop units empty.