Bog Off-Exhibit 24, Come 'Home'

5/27/2010 04:37:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 1 Comments

I recently went to a tweet up with another Wirral based tweeter. They picked the location, I'd asked to meet somewhere accessible with parking directly outside. On that basis 'Home' at the Woodside Ferry Terminal was chosen. 

The parking was great, the disabled bays were literally directly outside the entrance to the cafe. The only downside was the high cost of parking there, no exemptions for blue badge holders, even those who also have road tax exemption. It must be a known issue as when I was back in the car ready to leave I was accostedapproached by a couple of drunkcharming looking gentlemen asking if they could have my car park ticket. I had to disappoint them by explaining they could, but it had run out some 20 minutes before I'd made it back to my car. 

I'm not sure who owns and maintains this particular Bog Off as it is next to Home cafe but seems to be part of the main Woodside Ferry terminal rather than specific to a business or attraction based within it. It is one of the more unusual examples of a Bog Off I've seen...but then, I don't get out that much!

The Bog Off must have been converted from an existing toilet facility as the wall tiles were old, probably the originals. This actually made a really nice change to the usual 'built to the absolute minimum legal requirements and not even those if we can get away with it' disabled toilets featured in Bog Off. It gives the disabled toilet a different atmosphere...yes, I know...it's a toilet. But bear with me on this, as anyone who's visited the famous, but smelly mens toilets in the Philharmonic Pub can attest, stunning design does really make for a different toilet experience. You'll be glad to hear this Bog Off was nice and clean without a whiff to be sniffed! It's not that the design of this Bog Off was stunning, but it was unusual and the nicer for it. The contrasting tile colours work well but may be problematic for those with visual impairments. Also unusually the lighting in this Bog Off was easy on the eye, unlike the usual overly bright white light which can be dazzling. I'm not sure if this was another reflection of the age of the toilet or particularly good design but the former seems more likely. 


The toilet was much roomier than built to minimum regulations modern disabled toilets, so there was plenty of room for the baby changing facilities in there. The space had been used less well from an accessibility viewpoint, as you can see from the photos it was rather cramped around the toilet and both sanitary disposal and the normal bin were placed in the way of anyone needing to transfer from a wheelchair, also obstructing the rails.


The sink was a small one, placed just about close enough to reach from the toilet...but not for someone my height and size. There is a mirror, but far too high up for a wheelchair user or averagely small adult. It was perfect for tall parents to look at themselves in whilst nappy changing though! 


As is typical the assistance cord was tied up out of the way. Less typically the cord was tied in such a way it could be reached from the floor, but you'd have to be fairly small and bendy to be able to fall anywhere you could reach it in the first place as it's tucked in between the toilet and bin behind the loo brush. 



 

 

1 comments:

Fire Byrd said...

A good enough toilet and a mattress you're in love with, sounds like life couldn't get any...... ( I'll leave you to put tin the missing word/s!!!)
xx