Changing Places
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Tower of London becomes oldest UK building to install a Changing Places facility

Image: © Historic Royal Palaces/Twitter

Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity which cares for the Tower of London, has installed a new Changing Places facility to increase accessibility and open up the venue as a potential destination for thousands more visitors.

The Tower of London’s New Armouries Building, which dates back to the mid-17th century, has been recognised by Muscular Dystrophy UK as the oldest public building registered on the Changing Places UK Toilet Map.

Robert Burley, director of campaigns, care and support at Muscular Dystrophy UK, describes the installation as a “much-needed step in the right direction to making tourist attractions more accessible to all and tackling the exclusion that disabled people face”.

“Everyone has the right to use a public toilet when they need to and Changing Places toilets are a lifeline for more than a quarter of a million disabled people across the UK. Having access to one of the 1,524 Changing Places toilets across the country can make a world of difference for people with conditions like muscular dystrophy, ensuring greater independence and making planning days out much easier,” he adds.

The new facility includes a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench and wash basin, ceiling hoist, non-slip floor and a peninsular toilet with drop-down hand rails.

“The installation of a Changing Places toilet at the Tower of London builds on Historic Royal Palaces’ commitment to accessibility, and demonstrates that even this most challenging of historic settings isn’t a barrier to offering all our visitors the facilities they need to explore and enjoy this magnificent landmark,” says Preethi Narasimhan, project manager at the Tower of London.