Registered disabled pensioner says she was refused use of café toilet in Bude after staff allegedly laughed and directed her to public loos
A registered disabled pensioner receiving treatment for cancer says she was left distressed after allegedly being refused permission to use a café toilet in Bude.
The woman, who is in her late 60s and is understood to be living with terminal cancer, claims she entered Coffee Bay and Studio on Princess Street on Monday, 13 July 2026, asking if she could urgently use the toilet.
According to the woman’s account, staff told her the toilet was unavailable because they were waiting for a plumber to repair it. She further alleges that staff laughed during the interaction before directing her to use the public toilets at the top of the hill in Bude town centre instead.
The woman, who is a registered disabled person, said she was left upset and humiliated by the encounter.
A relative described the incident as “heartbreaking”, saying they believed greater compassion should have been shown to someone in such vulnerable circumstances.
The family said they hope sharing the incident will encourage businesses to consider the needs of elderly, disabled and seriously ill people who may require urgent access to toilet facilities.
UKNIP contacted Coffee Bay and Studio for comment regarding the allegations. A representative declined to comment.
It is not clear whether the café’s customer toilet was out of service at the time of the incident or whether alternative facilities were available.
Businesses are generally not under a legal obligation to provide toilet facilities for non-customers, although many choose to assist people in urgent need, particularly those with disabilities or serious medical conditions.
