Why York’s ‘splash palace’ public toilets shocked the world

Dubbed as among the world’s ‘most shocking’ toilets in a viral YouTube video, as well as a York eyesore, locals had a simple name for these infamous loos in Parliament Street – the ‘splash palace’.

Today we take a deep dive into why York’s ‘splash palace’ public toilets shocked the world.

The facilities first opened in 1992 following the refurbishment of York’s existing underground toilets in Parliament Street.

Parliament Street toilets in 1989

But by 2008, plans were being mooted by the council to close the toilets and reuse the prominent position in the heart of York city centre for ‘event’ space.

Not only was the building derided as an eyesore, it was blighted by vandalism, blocked drains and bad access.

Safe to say, thanks to the ‘splash palace’ York did not have a glowing reputation for its public toilets. In 2008, a director of the British Toilet Association condemned York’s public toilet provision, saying: “I know, having visited York, that you come away thinking ‘nice Minster, shame about the toilets’.”

Few people lamented the demolition of this building, despite the loss of a much-needed set of public toilets smack bang in York city centre.

Building the ‘splash palace’ in 1991 – it was later demolished in 2012. York Press photo

The toilets became even more of a talking point after being featured in a YouTube video series on ‘The World’s Most Shocking Toilets’.

In the Youtube video, the presenters head downstairs into the gents’ toilets and are immediately overcome by the smell and the sight of overflowing bins – and worse. At one point, the camera goes into a cubicle and the presenter declares: “There’s actually poo on the wall”.

In 2012, the fate of the ‘splash palace’ was still being decided by local leaders – despite having closed some two years previously and being used as a temporary storage facility.

Pressure was mounting on the council to demolish the public toilets which were costing an estimated £8,000 of taxpayers’ money a year and were regularly targeted by vandals and covered in graffiti.

Extensions to the gents’ underground toilets in Parliament Street in 1894.

The council set aside £120,000 to cover the costs of demolishing the building.

The Press called on the loos to go – an editor’s comment at the time said: “Few will be sad that planning permission to pull down the “splash palace” on Parliament Street has been applied for. It’s been an eyesore since it closed and is long overdue for demolition.

“The move is part of the Reinvigorate York programme and we think it should just be the start of regeneration for this part of York.”

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Ahead of the closure, new public toilets were opened in Silver Street, off Newgate Market – which still exist today.

The ‘splash palace’ public toilets were finally demolished in March 2012, clearing the way for the space in Parliament Street to be used for a variety of new purposes.

Parliament Street, York. July 1991.Foundations being dug out for the ‘splash palace’.York Press photo

Over the years, the site has been used to host various events and attractions, including the York Food Festival, Thor’s tipi, and the York Christmas Market.

Today, locals still lament the number of public toilets in York – and may be surprised at a recent story rating loo provision in York as the second best in the UK.

Thor’s tipi in Parliament Street this summer – on the site of the former ‘splash palace’

In a study published by QS Supplies, York has the second highest number of public toilets in the UK – with 35.8 public toilets per 100,000 people.

For its density of WCs, the city only falls behind Exeter, which has 38.7 toilets, and comes far ahead of nearby Leeds, which has 4.3, and Hull with 2.3 toilets per hundred thousand people.