Nightclub introduces toilet rule – and those who don't follow will get banned

A UK nightclub has sparked quite the conversation on social media after introducing a stringent new loo policy.

The venue in Burntwood, Staffordshire, has warned party-goers of a 'lifetime ban' if they don't comply with the fresh anti-drugs measure. Dale Harvey and Holly Booth, who manage the Great British Pub Crawl page on Facebook, are no strangers to quirky pub signage, but they reckon this one takes the biscuit.

The notice cleverly plays on the double meaning of 'Coke', which could refer to either the popular soft drink Coca Cola or the illegal substance cocaine. The sign states: "We serve Coke products at the bar. Not in the toilet. We catch you. Lifetime ban. You have been warned."

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Harvey and Booth took to social media to share a snap of the sign, captioning it: "Sign of the night so far in Burntwood."

The post quickly became a hot topic online, with one user commenting: "Great sign. Evil drug. Ruins so many lives." Another chimed in: "As it should be. Those that sell it in the toilet can't be trusted."

A third praised: "Ah this is brilliant! Fair play for that place! " While a fourth chimed in: "Sign of the times we are living in."

Some critics, though, questioned whether the rule might backfire on the club's business. "Imagine putting this into your bar and then complaining when you run out of business," one critic exclaimed.

While another argued: "Bars and nightclubs are not the place to school people on healthy behaviour. If you are concerned about the physical wellbeing of someone, don't open such a place in the first place." A third asked: "Why not let them do coke? They'll sell more booze."

In the UK, possession of such a drug can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years and an unlimited fine. The penalties for supply and production of Class A substances can be even more severe, with potential life imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.

Earlier this year, the National Crime Agency (NCA) made its largest ever Class A drugs bust when they discovered £450million worth of cocaine hidden in banana cartons at Southampton's port.

Meanwhile, last year, police dismantled another drug operation that imported narcotics from Canada, Europe and America into the city. This operation had enlisted children as young as 15, arming them with guns, crossbows and knives to protect their illicit goods.

The dramatic increase in illegal drug smuggling is having a devastating impact on local residents' lives. One resident, Brian Masters, 69, told The Sun that the area is teeming with drug runners "waiting for calls to pick up and drop drugs off," He added: "Drugs are all over the place. It's a fact of life, you just have to live with it."

"It's an everyday thing, it's what young people do."