Challenging loo access
2
2
Date of visit: September 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Poor
I visited this location to meet with the Centre for Inclusive Living in Perth and Kinross (CILPK) who have an office in the building. I learned about their Toilets Around Perth campaign, which aims to map accessible toilets in the region to help people find places to go when they need to “go”. As part of this campaign, they are collecting reviews of accessible toilets in the area, so I took the opportunity to review the toilets at this venue. While the toilets are clean, they’re let down by tricky access and the placement of bins in the transfer spaces. With a few tweaks, I’d definitely rate this higher.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
There are automatic doors at the entrance to the building, which has a slight incline. The front desk is right ahead and the accessible toilets are to the right. The doors to the toilet area are all manual, which might make it tricky for some. I didn't spot the use of any alternative formats.
Accessible facilities: Step-free entrance
Parking & Transport
Poor
I travelled to this place by walk or wheel
There are a few parking spaces just outside the entrance, including some on-street spots and one marked accessible space – though it’s really just a standard-sized bay. The nearest bus stop is on Melville Street, about 160 metres away, where the 1A, 9 and 615 services operate. Barrack Street is around the same distance and has plenty of services passing through, including the 2, 4, 13A, 15, 15A, 23, 23A, 23X, 27, 34, 34A, 57U, 897 and X56 – now that's a lot of buses.
Accessible facilities: Dedicated on-site parking, Drop-off point
Accessible Toilets
Average
Access to the toilet corridor is through a manual wooden door that opens inwards. Printed signage directs visitors with the wording “Toilets & Baby Changing”, although there is no Braille signage provided. There are two accessible toilets at this location, which I’ll describe separately. Right-side accessible toilet: This toilet does not require a RADAR key and the door opens inwards. The floor is covered in red lino. The toilet seat and grab rails on either side are white, which doesn’t contrast well against the magnolia walls. The red emergency cord hangs to the right when seated and reaches the floor. There is a left-side transfer space, but it’s currently occupied by waste bins, making it unusable. The small white sink has rails on either side, but again these don’t contrast well with the walls. There’s a lever-style mixer tap with a soap dispenser above the sink, and a mirror mounted higher up – too high for wheelchair users to see themselves comfortably. To the right of the sink is a hand dryer, and a baby change unit is mounted on the left-hand wall. Left-side accessible toilet: This toilet also does not require a RADAR key, and its door opens outwards. The floor is red lino, and again the toilet seat and grab rails are white against magnolia walls. This room has a right-side transfer space, which includes a small bin but still allows the space to be used. The red emergency cord hangs to the left when seated and reaches the floor unobstructed. There’s a mirror that can be used from a seated height, which is great, however the sink above it is mounted too high. Similar to the other toilet, this one has a small white sink with white rails, but the tap here is sensor-operated. When you close the door, there’s a small shelf above the radiator. It holds free period products and could also serve as a colostomy shelf. Both toilets are quite compact. They could accommodate a powerchair user and another person, but space is very tight and there is not enough room for a full turn.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
