Wasn't allowed to use disabled toilet despite the fact no other toilet was available. AIBU?

You can see the toilet In one of the photos. There is definitely a toilet, I’ve used it myself.

I think it's great that toilets for disabled people are being kept for disabled people. Toilets like blue badge parking spaces are often used by able bodied people.

Sorry op but if I were you'd I'd plan better and make sure there are facilities available if you have an urgency or incontinence issue.

Changing places facilities are quite different and specialist. They're very expensive and can understand the need to protect them but I'm not sure how you do that without also inconveniencing and discriminating against people.

@Ohhohoho
But if the facility doesn’t have an actual toilet (like this one doesn’t appear to).., ??

Sorry they actually said it doesn’t matter if you have incontinence? I have MS and struggle with intermittent incontinence and would argue it’s the worst part of my disability. Definitely a disability and I use the disabled toilets for it (as they are bigger so I have more room to change myself). That’s disgusting.

OP - did they explain to you what the facility consists of?

OP - I don’t even know if there is an actual toilet in that facility!!!! Perhaps THAT is why you weren’t allowed in

See here…

https://www.astorbannerman.co.uk/news/new-accessible-toilet-facility-officially-opens-in-weston-super-mare/

I’m interested to know what you did OP?

The other week I was in a cafe where they'd decided to use codes on the doors and make you take a receipt to get the code to use the loos. I thought it was tight so my little bit of rebellion was to lock my door as I left so it stayed open and someone could go in and use it without needing the code.

I don't agree with service providers gatekeeping their loos. I have read posts on here about disgusting behaviour, but I can't really see that someone using the cafe and buying a drink is any less likely to trash the loos than someone walking in off the street because they are desperate.

And councils CAN afford to keep loos open. They just choose not to.

A changing places toilet is not an ordinary disabled loo. It will have a lot of specialist equipment in, hoists etc and a large bed for adults with significant disabilities to be changed on. Access is restricted to people who need that level of support. The issue is that no other toilets were available, and that is worth complaining about.

@Noshadelamp
why would having a changing places facility not be legal?
They are for those with disabilities and are funded by various different groups..
Is it legal for a restaurant to specify that its toilets are solely for customer use??

For those pp’s talking about incontinence type disability (without wheelchair use) (the urgency etc) changing spaces do cover that type of disability too.

This is what the Changing Places website says:

People with profound and multiple learning disabilities, as well as people with other physical disabilities such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably. These needs are met by Changing Places toilets. Changing Places toilets are different to standard accessible toilets and should be provided in addition to accessible toilets.
….
Different organisations will be responsible for the Changing Places toilet, depending on how and by whom they were installed. Local authorities, public sector organisations and private organisations may all have installed a Changing Places toilet in your area.

…
Not all disabilities are visible. Many people live with conditions that affect their mobility, dignity, and independence in ways that aren't immediately obvious to others. For those with invisible disabilities, such as neurological conditions, chronic illnesses, or severe continence issues, standard accessible toilets often don’t meet their needs.

Changing Places toilets are designed to bridge this gap.They provide essential features like extra space for carers, a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, a hoist system, a colostomy shelf, and sometimes even a shower. These facilities ensure that everyone has access to a safe, clean, and dignified toilet experience.

It's important to remember that needing these facilities doesn't always "look" a certain way. A person may appear able-bodied but still require the specialised equipment or space that a Changing Places toilet offers. By understanding and supporting the need for these inclusive spaces, we move closer to creating a society that values dignity, equality, and true accessibility for all.
Supporting Carers

This
That local authority are discriminating in not allowing everyone to use THE ONLY AVAILABLE TOILET!
Whoever answered the phone to you was a complete power crazy jobsworth!

I was at a hotel during Christmas and went to use the toilet, I am disabled and use walking sticks and I have a radar key but the disabled toilet was not locked and was unoccupied. There was a bloke waiting outside the ladies loo for his wife, he stepped across the disabled loo door and tried to direct me to the normal loo claiming ‘you have to go in there’ . I firmly stated ‘ No, I’m going in the disabled ‘ . He reluctantly moved to let me by, for the rest of Christmas I referred to him as the Loo Police! 🤣🧑‍✈️🚽

That’s a fucking awful thing to suggest, because you know, some idiots will.

I doubt you'll ever be in this position again OP but next time just lie and say you have IBS and you need the loo now. Oh just seen that they were basically under the impression that disability only means in a wheelchair? In that case definitely complain and explain about hidden disabilities. Do they really want people having bowel movements around the beach because they really really can't wait?

It also annoys me when councils pay parking attendants to patrol car parks but won't keep the car park loos open at the same time! Of course, one is revenue generation and the other isn't.

Handicap? In 2026?

Incontinence can be a disability. They sound awful, what sort of person weilds their power to not allow someone access to a toilet?
It's a bad system overall.

Do they take a simple "yes I have a disability"for an answer, or are people forced to give their private and sensitive medical information out loud over the phone to a jobs worth call handler?

Surely this isn't even legal??

I suspect this is in reference to signs saying "Anyone who seems to be unsure what's inside their pants (or words to that effect) is welcome to use this facility".

And yes, as a wheelchair user myself, I can confirm that even when having locked the accessible toilet from the inside, I have been walked in on before now. I now keep one eye on the door, ready to yell if someone tries to get in.

If the non accessible ladies or gents toilets are locked and I see someone needing to use the loo, I'll happily let them in after me, because disabled or not, I've known the feeling of being desperate before now, and wouldn't see anyone else suffer likewise. There is such a dearth of public toilets in many places now, due to so many being closed due to council cutbacks, vandalism, drunkenness and drug addiction, sleazy perverts dogging etc.in them. It stinks (no pun intended).

Question ends up being.

How much council tax do you wish to pay extra for public toilets to keep being fixed and cleaned multiple times a day due to damage.

That’s the issue really the council cannot keep funding all the cleaning and repairs so they close them longer and longer and then permanently. Without a on site member of staff £££ or a system like this £££ they will keep getting damaged £££££ so if we want them we are going to have to pay for them.

I meant the person on the end of the phone who wouldn't allow the OP to use the toilet.
In my opinion they should have let them and this situation is and was ridiculous.

Agree with this. It’s down to the council making more facilities available and not forcing people to seek permission to use specialist facilities not meant for them.

The people running the campaign absolutely should be told that their user base are being required to itemise their medical conditions out loud, whilst remaining on the public highway, to some random on the end of the phone who may or may not decide they are worthy to use the loo.

Its completely against the spirit of inclusion which underpins the campaign.

The public toilet situation in this country is absolutely desperate (pun intended). Every single person needs to pee/poo while out using public amenities, so if there are no toilets, people will and do have to risk going in bushes, alleys etc…I see so many outraged posts on social media about human waste in public areas and how disgusting people are, but it’s a problem being driven by utter lack of other options.

I understand that public toilets have been used for drug abuse and other vices. Twas ever so - but the solution can’t be that we just don’t have toilets at all. It’s ableist in particular; the country is full of people with disabilities who don’t qualify for legal recognition or any benefits, and the lack of provision means they basically can’t go out and enjoy public spaces.

Surely the entire point of disabled and accessible toilets is to make sure that no one is left without a toilet they can reliably use.

No one should be put in the position where they might have an accident because there is no toilet.

Of course they should have let you use the toilet.