Provision of toilets

If you are providing facilities such as a café, restaurant or other places members of the public visit you should ensure the following minimum standards on toilet provision are achieved. 

The first consideration when designing toilet facilities is the number of people who will use the facility. The following information will help you work out how many toilets, urinals and washbasins to include in buildings. It must be remembered that this is only a guide and assumes a 50/50 male/female split. In some circumstances there maybe more males or females visiting a premises and that should be taken into consideration. Premises such as busy pubs with an abundance of vertical drinkers may be required to provide more than the recommended toilets, especially if long queues are forming or anti-social behaviour is occurring (for example public urination). 

The Council may enforce the minimum standards at it's discretion using the powers in the LGMP Act, and only when it is in the public interest to do so. For details visit Legislation - Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

General requirements

• Wash hand basins must be provided with hot and cold or appropriately mixed running water, hand soap and hand drying facilities (Disposable paper towels or hand dryer).
• Toilets should be provided with adequate natural or mechanical ventilation.
• Toilets must be well lit. UV lights must not be used in accessible toilets. 
• Toilets should not lead directly into rooms where food is prepared (there should be a lobby with two doors).
• Facilities must be maintained in good working order and in good repair. Broken doors, locks, seats etc must be repaired forthwith. 
• If the water at the taps is too hot (over 50°C) there is a risk of scalding. (Putting a 'caution hot water' sign up is not sufficient to prevent injury and liability). You should fit Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV) that will prevent 'hot' water being discharged. You should not lower the temperature in the hot water boiler/tank as there is a risk from Legionella. Refer to your Legionella risk assessment by visiting Health and Safety Executive - hot and cold water systems. This is especially important where facilities are likely to be used by children or older persons who will scald more easily.
• Nappy changing facilities should be provided in premises where it is expected that children maybe be present, a suitable sanitary disposal unit should also be provided.
• At least one urinal and wash hand basin should be fitted at a lower level for children and shorter people, where appropriate.

Numbers of sanitary conveniences 

Takeaways

Takeaways that do not provide seating, or only provide a few seats for customers who are waiting for for their order, do not need to provide customer toilets. If a takeaway provides seating for customers to consume food then they should comply with cafe's and restaurants sections below.

Cafe's, restaurants and other places providing food and soft drinks

Pubs, bars and nightclubs

Shops and shopping centres

Minimum provision of sanitary appliances for customer toilets in shops and shopping centres with a retail area in excess of 1,000 m².

Sports and entertainment venues

Minimum provision of sanitary appliances for assembly buildings where most toilet use is during intervals. For example theatres, cinemas, concert halls, sports stadiums and similar buildings.

Minimum provision of sanitary appliances for assembly buildings where toilet use is NOT concentrated during intervals. For example exhibition centres, libraries, museums and similar buildings.

Accessible toilets

• Where there is only one toilet in a building it should be an enlarged wheelchair chair accessible type. 
• The provision of an accessible toilet can count towards the overall WC provision for the building.
• Accessible toilets require extra facilities such as:

1. A raised height WC with extra projection for wheelchair transfers
2. A washbasin with lever style taps to assist users with limited dexterity
3. Paddle style toilet flush mechanism for ease of use
4. Five supporting grab rails of a contrasting colour to aid the visually impaired
5. An outward opening Access door
6. An emergency assistance alarm system

For the full requirements for accessible toilets please visit GOV.UK - Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M.

For further information see CAE Managing Accessible Toilets and Building Regulations in Practice -  Accessible Toilets 

Workplaces

Whether or not public enter a workplace, the employer must provide staff toilets (Workplace, [Health, Safety & Welfare] Regs). In small workplaces, e.g. small cafes it maybe possible for staff to use the customers toilets. However staff should not have to travel unreasonable distances to the toilets or wait an unreasonable amount of time. 

This table minimum number of toilets and washbasins that should be provided where both men and women are working. Column 1 refers to the maximum number of workers likely to be in the workplace at any one time. If separate toilets are provided for a group of workers (e.g. men, women, office workers or manual workers), a separate calculation should be made for each group. More facilities may be necessary if, for example, breaks are taken at set times or workers finish work together and need to wash before leaving.

Toilets used by men only:

An additional toilet and washbasin should be provided for every 25 people above a total of 100 (or fraction of 25). For toilets only used by men, an additional cubicle for every 50 men (or fraction of 50) above 100 is sufficient, provided at least an equal number of additional urinals are provided.

Further information on the provision of toilets at work can be found in HSE Leaflet INDG293 and the Approved Code of Practice Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare L24.

Other premises

For more information on WC standards for hotels, hospitals, schools etc. you may wish to refer directly to BSI.Knowledge - Sanitary installations - Code of practice for the provision of public toilets.

Complaints about toilet provision

If you wish to make a complaint about the toilet provision at a premises please contact us. Remember to tell us what the problem is (i.e. no toilets, or not enough toilets) and why this is causing an issue. Remember the Council will only take action if it is in the public interest to do so.