We call it the 'Loo-di-doo' in our house.

Once,when American friends called, one of them asked Peter where the 'Rest Room' was. Seeingthe look of consternation on his face, I stepped in swiftly to show the lady to the 'cloakroom'. (Just as well, becausehe had no idea whatshe meant).

Nowadays,the word 'Loo' has slipped into everyday use. It has been suggested the 'Ty Bach' was always housed in room 100 in French public buildings. '100'resembles the word 'loo', hence the namebut, apparently, 'loo' is a corruption of the French word 'l'eau' meaning water, as in 'gardez l'eau' - 'watch for water', which was called as a warning when a chamber-pot of slops was thrown from a windowin medieval times.

(In my novel 'Lucy Walter', Lucy tipsa full chamber-pot over some unwelcome guests - not a bad deterrent and there is documentation that this did occur).

Years ago, the word 'toilet' was considered to bemorerefinedthan 'lavatory', when referring to the 'WC'. The upper classes, fond ofcalling a spade a spade, considered the word 'toilet' very non-U, being a corruption of the French word 'toilette', meaning to wash andgroom oneself, so they stuck to 'lavatory'. Incidentally, the word 'lavatory' comes from the Latin 'lavatorium', meaning to wash oneself, which is not an accurate description of what goes on in the lavatorium, either.

It is surprising that it is only in the last twenty years or so that we have had self-flushing toilets and even now, they are the exception in Wales. (The first self-flush I came across was in Gloria Estefan's restaurant in Disney, Florida, thirteen years ago).

Now, here is the interesting bit. Anglesey Council is going to close or sell nine public conveniences in order to save thirty thousand pounds. The toilets may be used forother purposes. (What other purposes?) However, the council will give some financial support to pubs, cafes and businesses prepared to let the public use their toilets.

This brings me to a morning in Fishguard, not solong ago, when I wasaskedwhere the nearest storewith a 'Mother and Toddler' changing room was. I had to sayit was fifteen miles away.(Fishguard now has 20p a time toilets, but I don't know about the nappy changing facilities).

Toilets are essential facilities andit is a retrograde step to close them. Many people would not complain about paying for clean facilities. I know this, becauseholiday makers often ask me where they can find a good loo in town.

So, if there is an entrepreneur out there, perhaps there is 'loads- a- money' to be made out of loos.