Toilet requirements in shop development

[theflyingpig]

Hi all,

I'm trying to establish what the toilet requirements are for the shop I am renovating. Its to be a delicatessen and coffee shop under an A1 licence. There will be a few tables for customers use.
The building inspector tells me to contact the 'enviormental health department'', but the council do not appear to have such a department . . . .

There was single cublicle in the shop before. It's been suggested that I have to provide a disabled access toilet, and also that I must have a separate toilet for staff. Unfortunitly I do not really have space for both of these - either two small cubicles, or one large - but not both!

any help appreciated . . . .

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Your council will definitely have an environmental health department. That aside your inspector is clearly unhelpful idiot especially as he will be signing it off! Anyway I confess that I do not know categorically the answer, the Building Regs refer to various Workplace Regulations and British Standards although I suspect that one toilet would be enough and that should be a disabled fella with baby changing facilities, this will be a big boon with all parents and will go down especially well with Mother & Baby Coffee meetings! You'll have to ask your inspector nicely or get hold of environmental health.

 

[DevilDamo]

I have dealt with a similar situation in the past.

A convenience store had the one toilet and they had a complete refurbishment. We tried to get away with not having a toilet as it lost space but it wasn't going to happen. If a toilet exists, then you are to not make the situation any worse (i.e. by removing it). So at worse, I think you could be asked to provide the one toilet, which is to be accessible (i.e. 1.5m x 2.2m) and this can be used for staff/customers.

As FMT said, your LA will have an Environmental Health department. Why would the BCO ask you to contact a department that doesn't exist?

 

[^woody^]

How are you going to run this under an A1 use? Providing seating and use as a coffee shop suggest more like a cafe or A3/A5 use

Provision of a toilet for cafes etc will depend on local policy, so you need to ask the commercial team at the council

The DDA (Part 3) requires service providers to make "reasonable" provision for disabled people, and this is based on an anticipatory duty - ie what level of custom will be expected from disabled visitors - your coffee shop is not going to be like a McDonalds on the high street is it?.
There is no hard-fast law to say that disabled facilities must be provided. And don't forget that being disabled does mean being in a wheelchair

 

[abuildingsite]

The answer will be in BS6465-1, but is based on the capacity of the shop, which you haven't mentioned.

However, as it's just a renovation and not a change of use of new build, Building Inspector has no control over your sanitary provision (unless you're increasing capacity) which is probably why he's sent you off to another dept for advice. As woody said, your DDA obligations, however, would require you to make reasonable provision for the disabled. This normally means an accessible WC (suitably sized and fitted with grab-rails and an emergency alarm as close as possible to the entrance of the shop).

 

[theflyingpig]

thanks all. the shop will primarily be a retail delicatessen, but will have a coffee machine and a few tables. a shop like this can be run under a A1 licence - in fact, most Starbucks are run under A1 licences . . . . . .

anyhow, I did manage to get through to an enviormental health officer who told me I can install just one toilet for both staff and customers, and it would be nice if I made it accessible - just as I was going to do so all good.


cheers

 

[DevilDamo]

I can install just one toilet for both staff and customers, and it would be nice if I made it accessible

Thank you please

 

[^woody^]

..... most Starbucks are run under A1 licences . . . . . .

Starbucks and similar are split between A1 and A3 use depending on what the majority of sales are - it is not an automatic classification.

Many of these shops have had enforcement action due to them trading on A1 use when in fact the sales and usage suggests an A3 class is more appropriate. Further, various LA's class them differently just to complicate things.

If you have had specific advice or a Lawful Development Certificate for the proposed use, then that is fine. If not then its better to sort this out first before a stop notice is served