run out, people are forced to wait in line for those cubicles and sinks where paper and soap are still in place.


While the crowds may be stoical when faced with bad weather, they are much less relaxed when it comes to bad washroom provision. A survey commissioned by Essity revealed that poor washrooms rank higher on people’s lists of stadium negatives than factors such as crowd disorder, long queues and poor food and drink.


The survey, which polled 3,000 people, also highlighted the fact that more than 70% of stadium guests had, at one time or another, a bad washroom experience.


Meanwhile, in a second study of 1,000 respondents it emerged that 44% of stadium visitors avoided using the washrooms altogether when attending an event. And 20% deliberately refrained from drinking during the match or concert to enable them to do so.


“Nearly 40% of stadium guests went on to tell a friend or family member about their


negative washroom experience while 3% took to online forums to air their grievances.”


Shunning the drinks stand is not to be encouraged among stadium visitors for two reasons: it could lead to dehydration and other detrimental health effects, particularly on a hot summer’s day, and it will have a negative impact on concession profits.


The study also revealed that stadium visitors who were unable to wash their hands because the queues were too long, or because hand hygiene supplies were absent, were less likely to purchase food at the event. This again is likely to have a marked effect on the venue’s bottom line.


According to our research, nearly 40% of stadium guests went on to tell a friend or family member about their negative washroom experience while 3% took to online forums to air their grievances. However, only 11% complained to stadium staff on the day while just 5% contacted the organisers afterwards. In other words, more than 80% of all bad washroom experiences never actually come to the attention of event staff.


Negative press – either on social media or via word of mouth – is likely to give any venue a bad name. However, stadiums can greatly improve their facilities by making a few simple changes.


All dispensers in stadium washrooms should be sturdy and lockable to prevent vandalism, while soap and paper dispensers should be designed to control consumption, limit mess, minimise waste and reduce the risk of run-outs.


Hand drying is a common sticking point because it often leads to queues – particularly where air dryers are installed since these take at least 10 seconds to dry the hands. Some


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stadiums provide loose hand towels, leaving them on the units for visitors’ use. But these create a messy environment since visitors will pick up one or two towels in a hurry and perhaps drop others on the floor in their impatience to return to watch the event. And this means the supply will quickly run out.


A similar problem occurs when C-fold towels are installed in dispensers, since these allow the user to take out towels in clumps. Unused towels are then discarded and left to create a mess while the dispenser runs out in no time, leaving stadium-users with no access to hand drying facilities.


Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel provides a good solution, since it is specifically designed to speed up hand drying in stadiums and other busy facilities. Towels are dispensed in a continuous loop which means the unit will never jam and a towel may be withdrawn in just three seconds. This allows the washroom visitor to take a towel and move away, freeing up space around 75% faster than could be achieved with an air dryer.


And the fact that the unit serves more than 1,000 guests between refills – 600 more than many other dispensers – means that run-outs are never an issue, even in particularly busy periods.


The Tork SmartOne Twin Mini Toilet Roll System is a good toilet tissue option for stadiums because the dispenser is designed to give out just one sheet of paper at a time. This reduces consumption by up to 40% which minimises the risk of run-outs, while a new roll may be inserted at any time to ensure a continuous supply.


And a highly suitable soap solution is Tork Spray Soap. Each refill delivers 2,650 doses of soap which means that each cartridge lasts longer than most liquid soap options. The system also eliminates the risk of mess associated with bulk-fill liquid soaps.


There are other ways in which stadium washrooms can be improved. Well-thought out facilities with a sufficient number of cubicles, a good design and plenty of space to queue will help to improve the washroom experience. All dispensers should be carefully positioned to allow for a quick throughput: for example, soap dispensers should be situated above the sinks and bins should be placed by the door so that people can dry their hands as they leave.


And Tork EasyCube will make it easier for staff to keep track of run-outs, ensuring that all dispensers are kept well stocked and that the busiest of washrooms receive extra attention.


Stadiums featuring sub-standard washrooms are increasingly being named and shamed. And this inevitably has an impact on profits – particularly if visitors routinely avoid the food and drink concessions as a direct result of poor toilet provision.


But by making a few changes to their washrooms, stadium managers could improve the customer’s experience, enhance their reputation and boost their profits – all in one fell swoop.


www.tork.ie WASHROOM HYGIENE | 11


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