Clydebank Blog

 In this Blog I am going to share my thoughts of the facilities in shopping centres. I’ll share my experience of my local one in Clydebank and try to explain what all shopping centres can do to make it better for disabled people.

As a disabled person who lives in Knightswood, Clydebank is the nearest shopping centre to me and as you all know, I love to shop, so I go there a lot, mostly every Saturday either for some shopping or to meet up with friends for a coffee.

Clydebank is quite accessible. It has a lot of disabled car spaces, it has wide doors, the centre is very big and wide to move around and most of shops have doors opened and they are quite wide to get around. There is a lift to get upstairs but if that lift was to break you can still get upstairs by going out of the centre and walking around. Generally, it’s great.

However, going to the toilet is a different matter. Using the loo is a basic human Right for everyone and everyone should have access to a suitable toilet which meets their needs. In Clydebank there are a few standard disabled toilets, but standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of all people with a disability. Over ¼ million people in the UK with a disability need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably. These needs are met by Changing Places toilets. They have all the right equipment, such as a hoist, a changing bed and it is very big to move around for a wheelchair user and 2 carers. I am someone who needs a Changing Places toilet, so when I am in the shopping centre, I can't get to the toilet because Clydebank shopping centre doesn’t have a changing places toilet. A few times when I was in the centre and I really needed the toilet and I had to rush home to get to the toilet, which is a 10 or 15 minute drive away depending on the traffic. In 2021 it is terrible that I need to cut my day out because I can't get access to a suitable toilet in my local shopping centre!

Back in 2018, I started talking to the management team at the shopping centre about getting a changing places toilet. At first it seemed promising that they were supportive of getting Changing Places toilet, but it is nearly 4 years since I started talking to them and still no changing places in the toilet. I know these things take time and that Covid held everything up, but come on! 

Estimated equipment costs for a Changing Places toilet can vary but are in the region of between £12,000 - £17,000 including VAT. However, equipment costs will vary depending on the specific equipment chosen. I know this is a lot of money to spend when it is a small shopping centre with a lot of empty shops but going to the toilet is a basic human right, so the money shouldn't be a issues shouldn't it? In fact, it will bring in more customers. It’s great that Clydebank shopping centre can get a nice big baby changing room, but maybe they can get a changing places toilet too? 

By having a Changing Places in the centre disabled people like myself will be able to come into the centre and enjoy their day out and the centre will be more inclusive too!

Clydebank is not alone in this by any stretch of the imagination, but I hope can get a Changing Places toilet very soon and that I can be proud that my local shopping centre is a great place for everyone to go.

Written by Jill