A council is painting the walls of side streets with a special paint that makes urine splash back on revellers relieving themselves in public. Walls around urine hotspots in Soho in the West End of London are being targeted with 'pee paint' to splash people going to the toilet in one of the major party areas of the capital.
The special paint creates a water-repellent layer so urine and other liquid bounces back onto the peeing perpetrator, leaving them soaked. Westminster City Council will install the deterrent in the worst affected areas in Soho, where millions of tourists and partygoers visit every year.
Those taking a leak in the street were also warned they can face a fine of £150 if council inspectors catch them and issue a fixed penalty notice. The authority said it had to take action as it currently spends nearly £900,000 a year cleaning up the urine-soaked streets.
Since the lifting of lockdown restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic, the problem has risen "significantly", the council said. The splashback paint is part of a campaign calling for partygoers ‘Don’t Pee off Soho’ and has been installed in time for the festive party season, with a further five locations to be painted in the new year.
Lucy, who lives in Soho, said she does not feel safe walking through puddles of urine to get into her home. She added: "I feel personally violated, having to walk past men peeing in the street particularly at night it does not feel safe.
"Wading through streams of wee to get to my front door is not pleasant, no one can argue that this is acceptable wherever you live and people have a responsibility to use the facilities in the bar or club before they leave. Everyone likes a drink at Christmas, but people need to have some control."
Cllr Aicha Less, deputy leader and cabinet member for communities and public protection, said the move was "pee-back time" for residents. She added: "Residents and businesses are fed up.
"It’s finally pee-back time and we’re taking action to stop people using alleyways or doorways as a toilet. The ingenious paint is one of a number of steps we are taking to discourage people from relieving themselves in public or on private property.
"With more people enjoying Soho and the West End in the lead up to Christmas, we are also stepping up enforcement and the hefty fine is the last thing people want before the holidays. If people are caught short after a night out, I encourage visitors to go before you leave the venue or use the public toilets around Soho and Westminster instead of using alleyways or side streets."
Cllr Patrick Lilley, Soho and LGBTQ+ champion at the council, said: "I think it is an absolute disgrace that long-suffering residents have to put up with tourists using Soho as their personal toilet. If someone did their business outside your front door, I’m sure you’d feel the same. The anti-pee paint, combined with the community protection notices should teach those perpetrators a lesson.
"There are plenty of public toilets within Westminster that are open late and free of charge that visitors can use instead of relieving themselves in the street. If you get caught in the act, be prepared to face the consequences."
