Shopping centre installs 'squat toilets'

Ghulam Rasul Shahzad

Special squatting toilets have been installed in the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre alongside the traditional western style toilets as part of a refurbishment.

The installation comes after the shopping centre's bosses went on a cultural awareness course led by Ghulham Rasul Shazhad OBE.

The course focussed on understanding different cultural needs and community cohesion and also included a tour round Rochdale’s Central Mosque to view the facilities there.

Mr Shazhad said: “The decision was made after the course I ran. In my opinion this is a positive move.

“As a part of this community I feel good service is providing something for all cultural needs.

“The area around the shopping centre is home to a range of different cultures including Bangladeshi, Pakistani and many more that all have different needs.

“If you are disabled you need a disabled toilet, if you don’t speak English you need a translator and if you are of a different culture you need different needs.

“The toilets are open to anyone, it’s not exclusive and anyone can use them.”

Two of the 14 toilets have been converted to nile pans, one for men and one for women.

A spokesperson for Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.