DID YOU KNOW that one in five people (20 per cent) are choosing to stay at home because they are worried they won’t be able to find a clean, accessible toilet?
More than half (56 per cent) restrict how much fluid they drink before going out, and three in four (74 per cent) believe there are not enough toilets in their area.
“Due to medication, I sometimes can’t get to a toilet quickly enough. When I have an accident, it’s shameful and isolating—clean, accessible toilets would make a world of difference.” (Coventry resident)
Coventry is shining a spotlight on the importance of accessible toilets in the city centre, as the grassroots campaign Need the Loo continues to turn local voices into practical action.
This progress will be celebrated at a public gathering on Wednesday 19 November from 2–4pm at Central Methodist Hall, coinciding with World Toilet Day.
The event will feature stories from people with lived experience and will also launch Coventry’s first Toilet Champion Award, recognising local toilets that make visitors feel welcome, respected and valued.
“This campaign demonstrates how community organising can turn frustration into action. When residents lead, supported by organisations, change happens that improves life for everyone in the city.” (Melissa Smith, Grapevine’s Connecting for Good community organising team)
Limited access to public toilets is more than an inconvenience—it’s a barrier that isolates people, restricts participation in community life and exposes wider inequalities.
The decline in public facilities affects older adults, parents with young children and people with medical conditions—limiting their freedom to move around the city safely and with dignity. When toilets are hard to find or poorly signposted, it can dictate where people go, how long they stay out and whether they feel confident taking part in everyday life.
Faced with this challenge, a group of local residents made a choice: they wouldn’t accept the status quo. They spoke up, shared their stories and came together to drive change.
The Need the Loo campaign, supported by Grapevine’s Connecting for Good, is the result of this collective action. Age UK Coventry and Warwickshire has fully embraced the campaign and joined the core team.
“For many older people, not knowing where a toilet is can mean staying home alone. This campaign gives reassurance and choice, helping people enjoy their city safely.” (Scott Collins, Age UK Coventry and Warwickshire)
Over the past two years, the campaign has gathered lived experiences from across the city, turning individual frustrations into a shared agenda for improvement. The core team worked with residents to identify practical solutions—the most repeated being clearer, more visible signage for city centre toilets.
“I rely on an app to find toilets. If there’s nothing nearby, I won’t go into town at all.” (Coventry resident)
The team approached Coventry City Council with the survey results and the council has responded by updating 240 wayfinder signs across 34 locations and helping everyone—from residents to visitors—find toilets and accessibility features quickly.
The wayfinder signs provide extra information about toilet facilities, including what is available, how far the nearest loo is and accessibility features.
Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Cabinet Member for City Services, said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to support this important work. I hope that we can do more in the future, but I do feel that the improvements to signage are a positive step.”
The campaign team now works in partnership with Colostomy UK, the Bladder and Bowel Organisation, Coventry Central Hall, the British Toilet Association and Coventry City Council.
Cllr Christine Thomas, Chair of the Council’s Disability Equality Action Partnership, said: “Better information about accessible toilets makes a real difference. It gives people reassurance and choice, helping them spend longer in the city centre without worry. We also have Changing Place venues in the city which also mean more facilities for people who need it most.”
The team has also been reaching out to local businesses, encouraging them to take simple steps to improve facilities, such as adding sanitary bins in men’s toilets, providing stoma-friendly spaces, and displaying clear signage.
“Need the Loo is proud that we’ve made the council and other decision makers start to take the issue of access to public toilets seriously. But we’ve only just begun. There’s a lot of work to be done to improve standards of existing toilets and add more toilets where there are none. We hope that local people will support our campaign and join us in making the city a more welcoming and inclusive place.” (Anne Forgan, Need the Loo core team)
How to get involved
- Attend the event on 19 November
- Vote for your Toilet Champion
- Businesses: Support the campaign by making your toilets welcoming and
accessible. Add sanitary bins in men’s toilets, ensure stoma-friendly facilities or display clear signage - Join the campaign team or pledge support. Get in touch with Melissa at mvsmith@grapevinecovandwarks.org
- Watch out for Coventry landmarks changing colour to mark World Toilet Day!
- For information about Changing Places venues in Coventry with specialist facilities, visit www.changing-places.org.