June 14, 2022 7.00 am This story is over 21 months old

Boston will get changing toilets for severely disabled people

Disability campaigners say more are needed nationally
Changing Places toilets allow disabled people greater freedom | Photo: Changing Places

Four new specially-equipped toilets will offer ‘dignity, confidence and freedom’ for disabled people who can’t use standard ones.

The Changing Toilets will have hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and spaces for carers.

The toilets will be installed in Boston town centre at Central Park, Wide Bargate, Lincoln Lane and Blenkin Memorial Hall.

Each loo costs approximately £75,000 due to the size and complexity.

An unsuccessful bid was also put in for Boston College.

The government has allocated £210,000 of funding, with Boston Borough Council providing £70,000 and Blenkin Memorial Hall making up the remainder for their facility.

Up to 250,000 people around the country rely on facilities such as these.

A council Environment and Performance report says: “For a relatively small proportion of match funding, the installation of Changing Places toilets has the potential change the lives of many disabled individuals, both local to Boston and to potential visitors to the area.

“This initiative therefore contributes to enhancing the lives of everyone and is a positive step for the council to take in this respect.

“By installing them within the town centre, they can also allow Boston to become an end destination for potential visitors and thereby improve the attraction of the town as a place to visit.”

Changing Places toilets have previously been installed in Lincoln’s Boultham Park | Photo: Linkage

The toilets are set to be installed in the town centre during the summer.

Campaigners have said that the lack of the specialist loos nationally restricts where disabled people can go.

The Changing Places website hosts a map of all registered ones. There are seven in the Lincoln area, two each in Boston and Skegness and one in Horncastle and Grantham.

However some towns including Gainsbrough, Sleaford and Mablethorpe are without any, according to the map.

The government announced last year that it was making £30million available for local authorities to build Changing Places toilets.