Wreck a church to provide toilet for disabled ?

[Tafia]

I don't do religion but this has narked me.

Local church committee has decided it has to install a toilet for the disabled inside the church and to do this they intend tearing out at least 10 rows of pews, moving the font and building a building within the church. Madness. They claim they have to do this to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

As far as I can see from Googling, there is no need to install a toilet for the disabled if there are no existing toilets in the church but if one does exist then it must be accessible to the disabled. Fair enough.

So it appears this wise committee is about to spend tens of thousands on something which is not required under the Act.

I have read the 15 pages of the Act and cannot see any reference to this alleged requirement.

Anyone else know more before I start a campaign?

Cheers

[elster]

Couldn't they just put one outside?

[satchbot]

I have no idea. Have noticed that my local church now has male and female portaloos outside.

[thehawk]

Who goes to the toilet in a Church?

[elster]

Actually I hope it does become a law that all churches must have a toilet.

They would be screwed next door and would have to sell to me.

I do believe I will be going to hell, if there was a hell.

[FourWheelDrift]

Surely it being the Church they could just ask God to heal the disabled instead?

Problem solved.

[NiceCupOfTea]

A lot of churches are used as concert venues and with a full length concert with interval/refreshments (and musicians having been there all afternoon) it's nice to have a toilet on hand.

[Tafia]

satchbot said:

I have no idea. Have noticed that my local church now has male and female portaloos outside.

Disability friendly?

[Job38]

Don't get me started on this one!

Is it a Listed Building?
If so there is some mitigation against this discrimination of the vast majority of the population and the wanton vandalism of fine buildings.





It's a particular source of urine boiling for me.

[marshalla]

Tafia said:

They claim they have to do this to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Then they haven't read/understood the act. It requires "reasonable" adjustments only.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsA...

Edited by marshalla on Sunday 22 March 11:42

[Tafia]

This is what they want to wreck. 10 - 14 rows of pews at the back of the church to be ripped out. Been there since 1853.

http://www.brynford.com/church.htm

[satchbot]

Tafia said:

satchbot said:

I have no idea. Have noticed that my local church now has male and female portaloos outside.

Disability friendly?

Hardly!

[Kermit power]

thehawk said:

Who goes to the toilet in a Church?

Edited to make the question more relevant. If you take out 10 rows of pews, the place might look slightly less cavernously empty on any given Sunday, thus allowing the vicar to delude himself into thinking he's got a healthily sized congregation?

[Dogwatch]

Maybe the DDA is being used as a trojan horse to put through changes which 'they' want but wouldn't otherwise get consent in a month of Sundays - so to speak.

[lord summerisle]

Tafia - if you want, PM me.


the practice i work for specalises in historic buildings, particulary churches. but many a dozen toilets in churches.

we may be able to help.

[teapea]

FourWheelDrift said:

Surely it being the Church they could just ask God to heal the disabled instead?

Problem solved.

Well said!

[rhinochopig]

That story reminds me of the stupid women who was on our local town council. She insisted that they fit an elevator to provide wheelchair access to the top floor of our town hall (built mid 1800s). The only thing on the top floor of the council building was a Judo club.