IT certainly won't be a bog-standard event when Hugh Murray arrives in town.

For the sole subject of historian Hugh's talk in York's Spurriergate Centre on October 13 will be public toilets.

Hugh has been interested in the world's smallest rooms for more than 15 years, and his talk, At Your Convenience, is a revered local classic.

It takes listeners through the tale of York public toilets, since the very first one was installed on the old Ouse Bridge in 1346, to today's multi-cubicle and attendant service lavatory luxury.

Hugh said the state of public toilets in York today was "not bad", but if you're looking for history think again, as all the original fixtures and fittings are long gone. "The last toilets in York to have any history about them were removed in the 1970s," he told the Evening Press.

"Before then, every bar and postern in town had its own urinal, in case visitors to the market got caught short on the way home, and they dated back to around 1850.

"Nowadays, they are all modern, which is a shame. They have been rebuilt since the 70s and we have gone from around thirty toilets to just eleven.

"The standards have improved though, that's for sure."

Hugh chose the Bootham Bar facilities as his top toilets in York, but fans wanting to visit his all time favourites will have to travel to Hull.

"Try the ones underneath King Billy's statue in the city centre. They are very well kept and all the brass is in order."