A council has covered the walls of local side streets with 'pee paint' this Christmas after residents complained of walking through 'puddles of urine' to get home.
The special paint has been installed by Westminster City Council along some of the worst affected locations in Soho in the West End of London, which attracts millions of tourists and partygoers every year.
It contains a water-repellent layer so urine and other liquid bounces back onto the perpetrator, leaving them soaked.
Those urinating in the street have also been 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 a staggering £900,000 a year cleaning up wee-soaked streets.
It is a problem which has increased "significantly" since the lifting of lockdown restrictions during the pandemic, the council said.
The paint has been installed in time for the festive party season, and forms part of a campaign named Don’t Pee off Soho’. Five more locations are scheduled 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.
Speaking of her concerns over seeing men using her street as a toilet, she said: "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 and warned that patrols would be increased in the run-up to Christmas to combat the problem.
She encouraged visitors to use facilities inside venues before they leave instead of alleyways or side streets.
