Supermarket criticised for ignoring sometimes urgent needs by closing toilets

By Cameron Blackshaw, Local Democracy Reporter

A South Londoner with Crohn’s disease has called on Sainsbury’s to reopen toilets in its Bromley superstore, saying people like him are being limited without easy access to the facilities.

While one disabled toilet remains open at the supermarket in Walters Yard, the closure of the main toilets following vandalism and “misuse” means asking a member of staff for the key.

In Olly Russell’s case, that means he feels “limited” because he fears being caught short. The 41-year-old, who lives in Shortlands, said: “Having access to a toilet is incredibly important because sometimes you get caught short and you just have to go.

“If you only have one toilet for everybody – so people with physical disabilities, people with unseen disabilities, mothers with their children, all of that – it’s not workable.”

Crohn’s is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes parts of the gut to become inflamed, swollen, and ulcerated. Symptoms include gut pain, diarrhoea, weight loss and fatigue.

Mr Russell believes that the toilet closure will negatively affect customers with medical conditions like Crohn’s, as well as the elderly and parents with young children.

In response to Sainsbury’s decision to close the toilets over their misuse and vandalism, Mr Russell said that staff and security guards at the store should take more notice of the toilets on a day-to-day basis in order to prevent any misuse from occurring.

He said: “With Sainsbury’s doing this, it will eventually affect their bottom line. Maybe not in a very clear way, but for a certain subset of people who do have disabilities, it can change where you go to shop.

“I’m not asking for any real special treatment. All I want is the option for a toilet I can just access instantly without a passcode or without a key or without some sort of rigmarole because often, you’ve not got much time.”

Sam Webber, a Liberal Democrat Bromley councillor, has also criticised the closure. He feared that if the Sainsbury’s toilets in Bromley continue to remain closed, it could have a domino effect on the supermarket chain’s other stores in the borough, such as the ones in Beckenham, Penge, Orpington, Chislehurst and Locksbottom.

Cllr Webber said: “I raised this issue in the Bromley council chamber because I am very concerned about the impact on our most vulnerable residents. Those with conditions like Crohn’s, as well as elderly residents and those with children, should not be forced to queue up and request a key for the disabled toilet in the Bromley Sainsbury’s store.

“I am even more concerned that the other five Sainsbury’s superstores will gradually see their toilets closed too. I hope Sainsbury’s will now think again on this. If not, I suspect many of their customers will be voting with their feet and shopping elsewhere.”

Marianne Radcliffe, chief executive of charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK, said: “Public toilets are vital for people living with Crohn’s and colitis, because symptoms include needing to use the loo frequently and urgently. While it is good that an accessible toilet will still be available at this supermarket, customers will still have to spend time finding a staff member to get a key to open it. And that will be challenging due to needing toilet access quickly.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “Due to ongoing challenges with misuse, we made the difficult decision to close some of the toilets at our Bromley store last year and are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Our accessible toilet remains available for customers who may need it, with our colleagues on hand to provide access.”

Pictured top: Olly Russell poses outside Sainsbury’s in Bromley (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)