The Usual Place

This is an excellent Changing Places toilet It is well sign posted from the café entrance and has a separate entrance from the street so you don't need to pass through the café to use the Changing Places toilet. The door was not electric but was light enough to open easily. The door to the toilet opens outwards and does not need a RADAR key to access. It had a level lock and a grab rail on the inside. Unfortunately the coat hook was placed too high for a wheelchair user to reach. There is a Closomat toilet with vertical and fold down grabrails on both sides with an additional horizontal grab rail on the left side. There is non-obstructed space on both sides of the toilet for left-hand side or right-hand side transfers. The toilet had a push button flush which I found a bit hard to operate, and the closomat panel did not appear to work. The Red Cord was hanging all the way to the floor and the Red Cord Card was present and correct. The lowered sink with grabrails on both sides has a lever-style tap, hand dryer, soap dispenser and mirror - but unfortunately I was not able to fit underneath it to wash my hands. The Room is large and I could turn easily. The height-adjustable changing bench is not electric but foot pedal adjusted, but it was clean and there is also a dispenser for paper and a bin situated nearby. The ceiling track hoist remote was left attached to the ceiling track hoist which was too high for me to reach from my wheelchair, and should I have needed to use it I would have required help. I would suggest having a separate hook at wheelchair user height to hang the remote on so that independent wheelchair users can still use the hoist.

The Usual Place is a wonderfully accessible venue and I returned more than once during my visit to Dumfries. Esch time the service was wonderful and the food reasonably priced and very tasty. There is an excellent Changing Places toilet. My only issue was a slight difficulty hearing due to the echoey nature of the room.

Fully Accessible Community Café which offers training and employment to young people with additional needs. Plenty of room, lots of choice and home baking goodies at reasonable prices. The venue also has a small shop selling gifts and home baking. Changing places toilet on site