Newcastle Wetherspoon’s Defends Installing CCTV Cameras in Toilets

The manager of a Wetherspoon’s has defended their decision to install CCTV cameras inside the pub’s toilets. 

The cameras were first spotted by a woman at The Five Swans, in St Mary’s Place, Newcastle, who was out with her husband on March 7.

She said: “It is a total invasion of privacy. If it is on or not, it shouldn’t be positioned where it was, as you can see it from inside the cubicle and it just makes you feel uncomfortable.

“You just feel that if you can see if from inside the cubicle, which I could, then it can see over.”

The Information Commission Office states that CCTV should only be placed in private area, such as toilets, in ‘exceptional circumstances’ and dealing with ‘very serious concerns.’

Managers from The Five Swans claim that they have been positioned to ‘keep an eye on the floor’ and not the cubicles.

One manager said: “We have a sign on the door stating there is CCTV in operations, so by law we can have it, but this is more in case someone puts a claim in because they slip as the toilet floor is wet.

“There are no issues and we have not had any complaints. The contractor (who installed them) is happy with where they are placed.”

Another manager added: “We are Wetherspoon’s, we are a big company, we are not interested in seeing you inside the toilet.”

The customer sas she has now written an email of complaint to the pub.