Sit down eateries without toilets for their customers

[Zazen.Warrior]

Took myself off on a day trip to the seaside yesterday, ate a lovely fish and chip lunch at a nice restaurant only to find out afterwards that they had no toilets for their customers' use, there is a place much closer to home which is the same - they direct people to the nearby supermarket to use theirs.

Been wondering for ages if this is legal? Can anyone shed any light on this 'inconvenience'?

[shell]

Re: Sit down eateries without toilets for their customers

As far as I know, it is a legal requirement for every sit down retaurant/cafe to have toilet facilities.

But then I don't know if there is some loophole if the business is over a certain age and has been in the same place where there is no way of adding toilets.

[Amethyst]

Re: Sit down eateries without toilets for their customers

Think it depends on the council.....


The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 gives local authorities the power to require toilet facilities to be made available for public usage. This specifically applies to 'places of entertainment', which includes food businesses where customers can sit down to consume their food.

So google the relavant council's policy of toilet provision.

Tynedale Council have this

2. Tynedale Policy on the provision of Toilets for Customers in Catering premises
2.1. All newly established, converted or modernised catering premises
2.1.1. All newly established, converted or modernised catering premises must
provide separate sanitary accommodation, including hand washing facilities, for
both male and female customers within the premises in accordance with BS6465,
except in the case of premises providing less than 50 seats for customers where
the standard will be 1 W.C, with wash hand basin, per sex.
2.1.2. Advice should be sought from the Building Control Section regarding the
provision of sanitary accommodation and the requirements of the Disability
Discrimination Act.
2.1.3. In the absence of more reliable information, it will be assumed that the
customers will be 50% male and 50% female. Where this is not the case the
number of facilities required may be varied accordingly.

Restaurants, Cafes, Canteens and Fast Food Outlets

Males

• 1 urinal per 50 males
• 1 WC per 100 males, up to 400 males. For over 400 males, 1 WC per 250 or part thereof
• 1 washbasin per WC, and 1 washbasin per 5 urinals.

Females

• 2 WCs per 50 females, up to 200 females. For over 200, add at the rate of 1 WC per 100 or part thereof.
• 1 washbasin per WC.

Is that far too much information ?

[shell]

Re: Sit down eateries without toilets for their customers

"1 washbasin per 5 urinals. "

Is that because they expect only 1 in 5 will wash their hands?

[LuggerBugs]

Re: Sit down eateries without toilets for their customers

"1 washbasin per 5 urinals. "

Is that because they expect only 1 in 5 will wash their hands?

No, it's in case there is an emergency, and 6 people need to pee at the same time.