Michael Gannon, a 75-year-old disabled resident of West London, remains "furious" that his seven-year campaign to have an accessible toilet reinstated at his local theatre has not yet succeeded. The toilet at the Finborough Theatre in Kensington was removed in 2019, and Mr Gannon, who has osteoarthritis across most of his body, says the lack of facilities has made it difficult for him and others with mobility issues to visit the venue comfortably.
The toilet's removal and its impact
The Finborough Theatre, a 55-seat venue located above what was once the Finborough Arms pub, relied on the pub's toilet facilities. In 2019, the pub replaced the disabled toilet with a kitchen, leaving Mr Gannon and other disabled patrons without accessible amenities. Mr Gannon, who also has stage four prostate cancer, now faces two flights of stairs to reach a toilet when using the theatre, rather than one.
Mr Gannon described the situation as having "absolutely no justification," and expressed frustration at the council's failure to rectify the issue. He said he is now "reluctant" to use the theatre, particularly because his medication makes him drowsy and unsteady. "You just get so reluctant [due to the fear] of accidents, as you get older, the threat of falling unfortunately increases," he said.
Council response and new business
A new business, Yogi's Kensington, an Asian fusion restaurant, has taken over the space formerly used by the pub, but it has not reinstated the disabled restroom facilities. Disabled users of both the restaurant and theatre now find it harder, or impossible, to use the other toilets available on site.
In 2019, the former pub manager claimed that permission had been sought from the council before replacing the toilet, saying a change of use application was granted. However, this was allegedly untrue, and in 2020 the Disability News Service reported that Kensington and Chelsea Council was investigating. The council said at the time that if the toilet had been removed without permission, it would need to be reinstated to comply with building regulations.
In early 2025, Mr Gannon complained directly to the council, which said it would write to the new restaurant owners. Months later, the council told him there was nothing they could do, as they could not confirm who was responsible for the toilet's removal.
Council statement and ongoing situation
A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: "We recognise the real impact that a lack of accessible facilities can have on people who rely on them. Historical cases fall outside of our ability to take formal action under building regulations, and the provision of an accessible toilet is ultimately a matter for the building owner and tenant."
Neither a representative for the former Finborough Arms nor Yogi Kensington responded to the Local Democracy Reporting Service's request for comment. Mr Gannon's campaign continues, with the theatre still lacking an accessible toilet as of September 2026.
