Hundreds waiting for accessible toilet fobs

Felicity Benyon said many people will benefit from being able to access the toilet

Hundreds of people are waiting to be issued with a fob for an accessible toilet in a Mansfield shopping centre.

Mansfield District Council said 600 people have applied for access to the toilets at the Four Seasons site, which opened to the public on 9 July, adding it is implementing a security system to prevent it from being "trashed".

The delay in issuing access fobs means that anyone needing to use it must find a security guard in the shopping centre, or visit reception upstairs in the car park.

Felicity Benyon, 38, who was fitted with a stoma after the accidental removal of her bladder, said the current situation was a problem for anyone needing the toilet in an emergency.

The facility includes a privacy screen, hoist, a pull-down bed and a movable sink

Similar accessible facilities are available at the Mansfield Museum and Mansfield Palace Theatre, though neither require a fob to be accessed.

Another accessible toilet in the shopping centre, which can be accessed with a standard Radar key, is currently awaiting repairs due to vandalism.

Andy Abrahams, the mayor of Mansfield, said the damage demonstrated the need to tighten access to the new toilet.

"Unfortunately, you're always trying to find a balance between the safety and security of the facility and it being abused by people it's not really meant for," he said.

"[The fob system] does give a little less convenience, but if it gets used and abused, and then it ends up being trashed, then it's not going to be there for the people who really need it."

Ms Benyon said the new facility would make a massive difference for people like herself.

"It’s been a long time coming, and it’s not just for people with stomas," she said.

"There’s a wide variety of people with illnesses and carers that need facilities to make their life easier."

A spokesperson for Mansfield District Council said it was "on track to deliver the fobs to eligible customers in the coming weeks".

"There have been unfortunate and unforeseen delays with issuing the fobs due to the high volume of applications and the necessary eligibility checks," they said.