One issue that can sneak up on event planners—carrying the potential for disaster and unforeseen costs—is the matter of restrooms. Restrooms, also known as the water closet or WC, seem like a given at most indoor venues, right? You better think again. Although a lot of producers don’t give them much consideration, tremendous “messy situations” can result from insufficient quantities of restrooms or malfunctions with the existing facilities. Many events have been produced at venues with restrooms that were less than adequate. This usually occurs because when the restrooms are antiquated and haven’t been updated in years or even decades. More often than not, they end up failing because of the heavy use that a private event puts on restroom facilities.
In many older venues, the bathrooms are simply insufficient. That’s not a problem for the first two hours, but eventually you’ll see a line of fifty people at any given restroom door; they’re all going to be unhappy—and let you know all about it. That’s not good for the guests, for the event’s goal, or for you as a producer. “Don’t let the lack of adequate restrooms be your downfall.” –Tweet This Quote
For venues that are not typically used for corporate events (places such as warehouses, museums, or airplane hangars), always look at both the male and female restrooms. Are they upstairs or downstairs? Are they handicap accessible from the rooms in which your event is going to take place? Take pictures, count the stalls, and then do the math on how many bathrooms you think you’ll need for that event.
If you find that there are just not enough stalls to accommodate your crowd, you’ll have to bring in more. In that case, you have two choices: Port-a-potties or restroom trailers. If it’s an all-male group, you may get away with traditional port-a-potties—but women despise them. If your guest list includes females, consider port-a-potties only as a last resort. . We recommend bringing in restroom trailers instead. These can be anything from two stall men’s and women’s units that only cost a few hundred dollars to rent to big, deluxe executive restroom trailers with air-conditioning, granite countertops, private stalls, running water (hot and cold), soap dispensers, towel dispensers, lighting, and mirrors. They are a terrific addition to an event with deficient facilities.
It’s easy to bring them in, and it’s worth the extra effort and expense. These units have self-contained holding tanks, but they do require water and electricity to run, so you’ll need power and a water source (and remember to factor the power usage into your totals).
Make sure that no matter which kind of restrooms you choose to have onsite, they are thoroughly cleaned prior to the event. Put some type of air fresheners in them, too. We typically add scented candles, florals, and nice hand towels to upgrade a restroom facility on the day of the event. You can even place potted flowers in the men’s urinals if you have a women-only event so that the women feel more comfortable using both the men’s and women’s restrooms.
No matter the venue or location, ensure that there are adequate washroom facilities to service your guests. It may require additional mobile facilities or creative ways to enhance existing facilities. No one likes to wait in line when it is time to go so knowing what to plan for in advance will prevent attendee and client complaints.
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