Southside Shopping Centre Introduces Stoma Friendly Facilities

05 December, 2023

Colostomy UK is delighted to announce that one of South London’s premier shopping destinations is now stoma-friendly.

Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth has introduced stoma-friendly upgrades to their accessible toilets, ensuring each cubicle contains a hook, shelf space, a mirror, and a bin, increasing comfort for those living with a stoma.

Visiting shopping centres can be a source of anxiety for those with a stoma as toilets may not be adequately designed for them to be able to safely change their stoma bags. In some cases, people have had to change their bags on the floor of public toilets.

People living with a stoma can also face discrimination, being challenged, or criticised for using accessible toilets. To combat this, Southside has provided clear signage that accessible toilets are inclusive for those with a stoma to use, using ‘Not all disabilities are visible’ stickers as provided by Colostomy UK.

Southside is the latest Landsec owned retail destination to become stoma-friendly as Colostomy UK Marketing & Campaigns Manager Giovanni Cinque explained.

“It’s brilliant to see that Southside has joined our campaign, providing reassurance to the thousands of people with stomas who are potential customers. We’re delighted at the support our campaign has received from Landsec this year, with so many of their shopping centres and outlets coming on board across the country”.

Pieter Strömbeck, Centre Director at Southside Shopping Centre, commented: “We understand that a trip to the shops can be a potential source of anxiety for people with additional needs, and it’s our job to make sure we reduce these barriers wherever possible.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Colostomy UK to become stoma-friendly, and the recent enhancements to our facilities are another positive step forward to ensure we continue to provide an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all our visitors.”

Southside Shopping Centre is a retail and leisure destination located in the heart of Wandsworth, South West London. It is home to over 70 retail brands, restaurants and leisure destinations, including supermarket giant Waitrose, entertainment centre Gravity and a 14-screen Cineworld multiplex featuring London’s first-ever 4DX screen.

Find out more at https://southsidewandsworth.com/