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Making Sport Accessible: Why Changing Places in stadiums are needed

Every weekend, thousands of people from across the UK attend sport events. However, for those with a disability, making the trip and attending games can be a difficult and uncomfortable experience, especially if there isn’t Changing Places in stadiums.

Changing Places are accessible toilets for people with complex needs, such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, giving them the space and equipment they need to use a toilet safely and in comfort.

Without them, many disabled people must be laid on the floor of public toilets to be changed, which is undignified, unhygienic and puts care givers at risk of injury. To avoid disabled fans opting to stay at home due to a lack of accessible facilities, our blog looks at how things need to change to make stadiums more inclusive.

For detailed insights on ‘What is a Changing Places toilet?’ we invite you to explore our informative blog.

This blog delves into why Changing Places in stadiums is so important, helping to ensure that every fan, irrespective of their abilities, can fully participate in live sports events.

How Accessible Are Sports Stadiums?

There are over 250,000 disabled people in the UK who rely on Changing Places toilets to use the bathroom safely and with dignity. However, less than 10% of sports venues have these facilities. This leaves many people in a difficult predicament. If a Changing Places isn’t available in a stadium, they either choose to stay at home, limit their time at a match to factor in time to visit another facility or face being changed on a public toilet floor.

Neither of those options are acceptable. Sports clubs and venues have a responsibility to take action and ensure their grounds can accommodate and meet the needs of those with different care needs.

A recent survey from Level Playing Field has found that 29.5% of respondents cited poor physical access at a stadium as a barrier to attending a sports event. This figure has reduced from 36.5% in 2022 showing small signs of progress, but plenty more needed to make the matchday experience more inclusive.

Are Changing Places in Stadiums a Legal Requirement?

Since January 2021, most new public buildings are now legally required to install Changing Places facilities. These changes are set out in Building Regulations 2010, Approved Document Part M: access to and use of buildings, Volume 2: buildings other than dwellings.

As a result, at least one Changing Places toilet must be included in the planning application for assembly, recreation and entertainment buildings with a capacity for 350 people +; or a collection of smaller buildings associated with a site for assembly, recreation or entertainment, such as venues for sport, with a capacity of 2,000 people +.

Benefits of Including Changing Places in Stadiums

If venues take the right steps in making their stadiums more inclusive, you will increase footfall and income. Sports fans with disabilities are far more likely to visit and attend events if the effort has been made to make it easier to watch a match. Whether it is including clear signs to help with wayfinding or installing Changing Places in stadiums, these commitments make a huge different to the whole matchday experience.

Accessibility at sports venues remains a major problem. Whether it is a lack of doorways wide enough for wheelchair users to inadequate accessible toilets, many with complex disabilities and their families have to plan their journeys in advance to check where they can find the facilities they need.

Without the correct provisions in place, thousands of people are put off or lack the confidence to visit a live sports event. However, this doesn’t need to be the case. By missing out on investing in accessible facilities, sports clubs and organisations are missing out on a huge number of potential visitors and customers.

Many sports venues now also host festivals, expanding their reach and offering inclusive experiences for all attendees. Explore how Accessible Festivals can contribute to a more inclusive event environment. This is where the ‘Purple Pound’ comes in. Worth a reported £249 billion, the estimated spending power of disabled households (disabled people and their families) in the UK is consistently overlooked.

What Are the Options to Install a Changing Places Inside a Stadium?

One of the major obstacles that prevents the inclusion of Changing Places in stadiums is space. If you look at many of the sports venues across the UK, not only have many focused on maximising capacity, they have also been built at a time when building regulations failed to prioritise accessibility.

As a result, many of our football, rugby and cricket grounds struggle to provide the necessary internal space to house a compliant Changing Places toilet. So what can be done to change that?

Well, over the last few years, more venues are turning to modular solutions. Pre-fabricated, modular Changing Places are a quick and cost-effective alternative of installing accessible toileting facilities. Where internal installations can run into issues around planning permission, complicated layouts and poor internal access, modular facilities can be installed in half a day in an external location, such as a stadium car park.

By opting for this type of installation, venues can provide accessible toilet facilities for disabled users without causing disruption inside the stadium or face lengthy and costly delays.

Check out our video below to see how a modular Changing Places can help you.

Summary

Sport has the power to unite communities, but there is no doubt that venues and organisations must do more to improve inclusivity. The absence of Changing Places toilets in stadiums not only hampers individual experiences, but prevents future generations from playing an active role in sport.

From the legal obligations to the economic advantages and the technological solutions available, there’s a clear path forward. By working with approved suppliers like Innova, more clubs and venues can receive the guidance and support they need to make positive changes to ensure sports events are more accessible.





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