New Accessible Facilities Unveiled in St Neots Town Centre

A Changing Places facility has been installed in the Riverside Park car park in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. This new addition features accessible unisex toilet facilities and a changing room equipped with specialized equipment for safe and comfortable use. Liz Owen, an accessibility campaigner who leads Access in St Neots, welcomed these new public toilets, calling them “life-changing,” and noted they would enable disabled visitors to extend their time in the town centre. Ms. Owen had advocated for this facility for three years. Ms. Owen additionally commended the recent decision to install a Changing Places toilet at Peterborough Cathedral. The refurbishment of the existing toilets at Riverside Park and the integration of the Changing Places facility received a £40,000 grant from Cambridgeshire County Council’s priorities capital fund. Huntingdonshire District Council and St Neots Town Council also collaborated on this project. Changing Places is a campaign group and consortium dedicated to enhancing accessible toilet facilities across the UK. Before this recent installation, Ms. Owen informed BBC Radio Cambridgeshire that she had encountered numerous “horror stories” from disabled individuals who had to cut short their visits to St Neots due to the lack of accessible toilet facilities. She cited one instance where a mother recounted her son having to lie on a cold, wet bathroom floor while she attempted to lift him. Ms. Owen questioned, “How is this even allowed to happen in this day and age.” She further stated, “They [Changing Places] are needed in the whole country, but you need money and council backing, so it is not easy.” Regarding St Neots, she added, “We now [in St Neots] have somewhere for people to go. It’s massively life-changing for many who can now go out for the day to the park or town centre and not have to worry about having to go home.” Alex Bulat, vice-chairperson of Cambridgeshire County Council’s communities, social mobility and inclusion committee, commented, “These toilets will allow disabled residents and visitors to St Neots to participate more confidently and comfortably in the life of the town.” Richard Slade, Mayor of St Neots, characterized the development as “another step towards inclusivity in our town.” He also expressed hope that it would serve as an example for other councils in nearby regions.