Restaurants will have to open their toilets to the public as Guangzhou adopts a new measure to ease the public toilet shortage, reports Yangcheng Evening News.

The regulation to make toilets in public venues available to everyone has been submitted to the municipal government for approval, according to the sanitation department.

Public venues that will have to abide by the measure include hotels, restaurants, markets, stock trading halls, hospitals and sports stadiums.

While the measure is being applauded by the public, operators of these venues are worried about increased costs in maintaining their toilets.

The manager of a restaurant across from Guangzhou Railway station expects at least twice as many visitors to the establishment's toilets when the new rule goes into effect.

Currently, the restaurant spends about 2,000 yuan (US$240) a month on toilet upkeep, but that will probably double in future, said the manager.

Opening toilets in public venues is necessary in Guangzhou due to the land shortage here, said Chang Ming, an official in charge of urban development.

Close