Stirling Castle joins our Stoma Friendly Toilets campaign

09 December, 2024

Historic Environment Scotland and Colostomy UK  are very pleased to announce that Stirling Castle, one of its top visitor attractions, has recently upgraded its facilities to be stoma friendly. This means that all five accessible toilets on site now have two hooks, two shelves, a full length mirror and sanitary bin positioned as recommended by British Standard 8300. The project included reviewing and, where possible, re-locating baby-changing facilities, as the British Standard recommends that these not be located in accessible toilets. This is in order to ensure that the accessible facilities are left available for those with mobility needs or hidden disabilities.

Stirling Castle, which is situated atop a distinctive volcanic outcrop at the heart of Scotland, is a much-loved and well-recognised monument. The earliest buildings date back to the middle of the 12th century, and many know the castle for the distinctive ‘King’s Gold’ limewash of the Great Hall. Annual visitor numbers to the Castle reached over 500,000 last year.

District Visitor and Communities Manager for Stirling Castle, Douglas Wilson, said: “We are aware that on any given day, among the visitors who come through our gate, there are likely to be several people who have a stoma. We also know that stoma-friendly toilets are needed by some colleagues, so we are really delighted to have these improvements now in place. HES is committed to making the castle a more inclusive and welcoming visitor destination and workplace.”

The project was specified by District Architect Jacqueline Mulcair and the work carried out in recent months by the castle’s team of joiners. Jacqueline commented: “As Stirling Castle is a scheduled monument, the improvements needed to be carried out sensitively in relation to historic fabric. However, this proved relatively straightforward and the fittings themselves were not expensive. I would encourage others to make these relatively small changes, knowing they will make a real difference.”

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