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ICA in London: loos

31 replies

LittleBitofBread · 19/10/2025 15:55

I was at this venue this weekend and they have, in one room, four standard cubicles plus an accessible cubicle, with sinks and hand dryers outside the cubicles. Obviously both men and women were using them. Am I right in thinking this isn’t lawful?

OP posts:
WandaSiri · 19/10/2025 17:25

You are correct. These loos are only suitable for single sex use - they are not self-contained cubicles and they don't open onto a public area.
There is law about provision of public toilets which is not being followed and in addition, they are discriminating against women in general, who are more disadvantaged by mixed sex toilet facilities, and women and men of certain faiths. The situation also infringes the dignity and privacy rights of both sexes.

Original poster
LittleBitofBread · 19/10/2025 17:24

JellySaurus · 19/10/2025 17:13

Legal unisex loos have individual washing facilities integrated within the same room as the individual toilet, behind a fully-closeable and lockable door. But these are not. These are single-sex loos with basins outside cubicles with gaps at the doors. Removing the single-sex door sign does not make them legitimate unisex loos.

Relabelling a singe-sex loo creates an illegal loo provision as it discriminates against women (or men, for that matter) who cannot use mixed-sex toilets.

Thank you. I can’t remember if there are gaps at the doors (or did you mean you’re familiar with the venue and you know there are?). But I presume they’re not lawful in either case.

OP posts:
deadpan · 19/10/2025 17:24

LittleBitofBread · 19/10/2025 16:53

It’s labelled unisex, in that there’s just a sign that indicates that there are four cubicles. But I thought that maybe in this scenario, with a mixed-sex outer room, the washing facilities also had to be inside each cubicle.

Edited
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Good point. Personally I don't think unisex toilets should open into a communal area that's away from something like an open corridor. With the sink being in the cubicle.

JellySaurus · 19/10/2025 17:13

Legal unisex loos have individual washing facilities integrated within the same room as the individual toilet, behind a fully-closeable and lockable door. But these are not. These are single-sex loos with basins outside cubicles with gaps at the doors. Removing the single-sex door sign does not make them legitimate unisex loos.

Relabelling a singe-sex loo creates an illegal loo provision as it discriminates against women (or men, for that matter) who cannot use mixed-sex toilets.

Original poster
LittleBitofBread · 19/10/2025 16:53

deadpan · 19/10/2025 16:51

I think if it's labelled as unisex it's fine but female loos shouldn't allow males.

It’s labelled unisex, in that there’s just a sign that indicates that there are four cubicles. But I thought that maybe in this scenario, with a mixed-sex outer room, the washing facilities also had to be inside each cubicle.

OP posts:
deadpan · 19/10/2025 16:51

I think if it's labelled as unisex it's fine but female loos shouldn't allow males.