Scheme set up to improve ladies' loos in theatres

A scheme has been set up to provide funding to improve the state of ladies' toilets in theatres across the UK.

Theatres Trust have announced the initiative, which is backed by Susan and Simon Ruddick, chairman of investment consultants Albourne Partners, who have given the trust £125,000.

Theatres across the UK will be invited to apply for a grant of up to £15,000 to improve toilets for women (including unisex and gender neutral facilities). The trust will inspect each of the applicants and decide which are most in need of the money.

Currently, the code of practice for design of sanitary facilities states that an auditorium with a capacity of 500 should have eight ladies' toilets. The trust claims many theatres do not reach this standard, and will bring the successful theatres up to this level.

Applications for grants close on 26 October before the successful theatres are announced in December 2016.