Some shopping malls in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumchi have introduced a new membership scheme - but it has nothing to do with shopping. At least not directly.

The club offers members the right to use the bathroom.

An article in China Youth Daily pointed to some flaws in the scheme, saying many casual or infrequent customers will now find it impossible to head the call of nature because they are not signed up to the membership scheme.

Business owners argue it is expensive to maintain toilet facilities and ask why they should make them available to any and everyone.

But the paper says locking bathroom doors will just annoy people.

The article says the relationship between shopping malls and customers is more than just simple economics. There is also a degree of social credibility and responsibility.